University Of Toledo Gets Million Dollar Grant To Help Recruit Engineers

The University of Toledo will use a million dollar federal grant to create a program for recruit ing engineering students.

The intention of the new GEARSET program, or Greater Equity, Access, and Readiness for Success in Engineering and Technology, is to recruit and support first-year students who did not meet the College of Engineering’s requirements and were admitted into the Department of Exploratory studies.

The five-year grant from the National Science Foundation will provide scholarships for low-income students, averaging $6,400 dollars a year for up to seven semesters, once the students transfer into the College of Engineering.

The university says they hope to use the money to help students who need mentoring or extra cash to go to college.

“By building a sense of belonging, developing the students’ engineering identity, and shortening the time to transfer colleges, we will foster a more inclusive environment in the College of Engineering that is more reflective of the community we serve and the University as a whole,” program leader Dr. Lesley Berhan, associate professor in the UToledo Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and associate dean for diversity, inclusion and community engagement said.

Dean Mike Toole says he also hopes this money will allow the school to diversify its engineering students.

Toole says, “Our pursuit of inclusive excellence is a key part of our strategic plan, our core values and what we do on a daily basis. This grant will enable us to provide a new pathway to a degree in engineering for deserving students, further enabling us to provide a diverse pipeline of talented engineers to the region.”