A Scholarship First for Standards

Funded by $50,000 in gifts from committee members, the ASME BPV III Committee on Construction of Nuclear Facility Components has established an endowed scholarship for undergraduate engineering students, becoming the first Standards and Certification committee in ASME’s history to do so. 

This Endowed Scholarship will provide up to $2,500 each year to one undergraduate student for tuition and other education-related expenses. The fund will be administered by the ASME Foundation, with the first award anticipated through ASME’s regular scholarship cycle. 

“This is the first time an ASME Standards and Certification committee has endowed a scholarship, and I hope it won’t be the last,” said Tom Costabile, ASME’s executive director and CEO. “It’s a powerful example of how our technical community can extend its impact beyond the code books and into the careers of the next generation of engineers.” 

The committee is responsible for Section III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, which governs the construction of nuclear facility components and is referenced by regulators and nuclear operators worldwide. Its volunteer members are engineers, inspectors, and technical experts who contribute their time to develop and maintain the rules that underpin nuclear safety. 

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With nuclear construction activity accelerating in the U.S. and abroad, demand for engineers trained in pressure-retaining component design, materials, and inspection is expected to rise. The scholarship reflects a growing focus among ASME’s technical committees on growing the engineering talent pipeline.  

By endowing the fund rather than making a one-time gift, the BPV III committee has created a permanent source of support that will outlast the tenure of any individual member. ASME Foundation staff say the structure offers a template other Standards and Certification committees could follow. 

“On behalf of the entire Section III organization, we are proud to be the first ASME BPVC Standards Committee to achieve a fully endowed scholarship, thanks to the generosity of our members,” said ASME Fellow Dale Matthews, who serves as chair of the Section III Standards Committee and is a technical consultant with Framatome, Inc. “This scholarship will allow us to contribute to the next generation of talented engineers in perpetuity and, at the same time, recognize the important contributions of those who came before us by awarding these scholarships in their honor.” 

Students may apply through ASME’s single online scholarship application. Applications open December 1 and close in mid-March, with final selections announced in mid-May. Funds will be distributed directly to awardees’ universities in July. 

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To be eligible, applicants must hold an active ASME student membership and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Students must be enrolled in mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, general engineering technology, or a closely related discipline. Baccalaureate programs at domestic institutions must be ABET-accredited. Associate degree programs at community and technical colleges, as well as regionally or nationally accredited international programs, are also accepted. Applicants are generally required to enroll full-time, though students within two semesters of graduating from a four-year program and those attending community or two-year technical colleges may apply as part-time students. 

Preference will be given to students who demonstrate strong leadership in an ASME student section or community, leadership in an academic engineering setting with clear potential to contribute to the profession, and a high level of financial need. 

Applications will be reviewed by volunteer evaluators drawn each year from mechanical engineering and mechanical engineering technology programs. Submissions move through two rounds of scoring before the ASME Scholarship Committee matches finalists to available awards. 

Students can learn more and apply here.