Keirsten Colton of Imperial is part of 2023-24 cohort of Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy
Keirsten Colton of Imperial is among 40 first-year students in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Engineering who have been chosen for the 2023-24 cohort of the Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy at Nebraska. Colton is a architectural engineering major on the Omaha campus.
More than 100 applications were received for the cohort, the academy’s second.
The academy seeks to recruit and retain students committed to supporting and advancing women in engineering in Nebraska and to provide students who have financial need with the resources and support to pursue careers in engineering, computing and construction.
Academy students receive a scholarship that covers full tuition and fees for four years and may receive funding for a fifth year on a case-by-case basis. The scholarship also covers the students’ housing and meals for up to four years in a University Housing residence. Academy students have a common living experience during their first two years in the program, enroll in cohort-specific freshman and sophomore seminars, and receive success coaching from dedicated program staff. Students also receive a $500 book stipend to the university bookstore and a laptop for their studies.
The work of the academy is grounded in The Complete Engineer, a College of Engineering initiative designed to ensure students participate in experiential learning in tandem with the technical expertise provided by a Big Ten degree. Through a cohort-based program of 40 scholars each year, these students are empowered to make a positive impact in their field through exclusive seminar courses, dedicated success coaching, and support of faculty and staff.
Beyond developing students individually, the academy fosters an environment in the engineering community at large to increase gender diversity in the workforce and a sense of belonging for women in engineering, computing and construction.
The program is funded and developed in partnership with the Peter Kiewit Foundation, a private independent philanthropic trust that has awarded more than $750 million in grants and scholarships since its founding in 1979.
For more information on the Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy, visit https://engineering.unl.edu/pkf-engineering-academy.
For the full list of the academy’s 2023-24 cohort, visit https://go.unl.edu/ropc.
Story courtesy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.