WILBERFORCE — Female STEM students at Central State University are eligible for the Intel Semiconductor Scholarship for Women.

Those who are awarded scholarship funds through this new program will be provided with $5,000. These funds can be used for various resources, such as tuition, fees, books, transportation, and childcare.

The scholarship aims to to broaden the technology field’s diversity quotient, particularly as regards to women, people of color, and other members of underrepresented communities, according to a release from CSU. The deadline for registration is Sept. 18.

As per the scholarship website:

According to the scholarship website, applicants to the Intel Semiconductor Scholarship for Women must:

be students who have graduated high school and are currently enrolled or plan to enroll in a higher education institution in the state of Ohio to pursue a 2-year associate degree for the 2023-2024 school year

self-identify as female

plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited higher education institution that offers 2-year associate degree in the state of Ohio for the 2023-2024 academic year

be a United States (U.S.) citizen and/or be eligible to legally work in the U.S.

be first-year students who start in the Fall of 2023 or the Spring of 2024 and are pursuing a STEM degree relevant to the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Eligible programs include but are not limited to: Electrical engineering technology AAS; electronic engineering technology AAS; electro-mechanical engineering technology AAS; engineering technology AAS; microelectronics; mechatronics; chemistry related AAS; mechanical engineering technology AAS; computer electronic technology, or other STEM similar associate degree excluding medical fields.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, a statement of educational and career goals and objectives aligned to the semiconductor industry, and unusual personal or family circumstances.

Financial need will not be considered.

Up to 23 awards will be granted, and all applicants will be notified in October.

Students beginning enrollment in spring 2024 will receive $2,500. Awards are renewable one year or until a degree is earned, whichever occurs first, based on satisfactory academic performance (maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale). Scholarship winners must also complete at least 12 credit units per semester in an eligible program.

“Central State University is leading one of the eight Intel-funded projects through Intel Semiconductor Education Program in Ohio,” said Mohammadreza Hadizadeh, associate professor of physics. “And we had a successful internship program this summer, which was focused on training women and underrepresented minorities on semiconductor topics.”

Due to the success of the Intel Semiconductor Education Program and this past summer’s internship program, Hadizadeh said he believes there is substantial potential for female STEM students at Central State to be awarded this new scholarship. Hadizadeh added that the university has developed a new certificate program that will soon be offered at the school — semiconductor processing — as well as a minor in computer hardware technology. It is Hadizadeh’s goal to launch both programs in spring 2024.

“Students can get the advantage of this scholarship to enroll in either or both programs,” Hadizadeh said.

Hadizadeh said that tech and industrial engineering fields are growing at a rapid rate. This is both due to quantum leaps being made in those sectors — such as advances being made in Artificial Intelligence (AI) — and because of what Hadizadeh referred to as political motivations stemming from America’s drive toward becoming more independent from foreign outsourcing when it comes to chip manufacturing.

Closer to home, Intel has invested $20 billion into the building of a new chip factory based in New Albany. The factory is expected to be operational in 2025. This will require an influx of educated, experienced, well-trained engineers and technicians. Central State could become a viable hub churning out such a future workforce.

“As technology continues to evolve very quickly, there is a great opportunity here for Central State and Central State students,” Hadizadeh said. “And this is greatly impacted by our collaborators like Intel and programs such as this latest scholarship.”