Local benefactor Rosalyn Bullock provided the funding for the scholarships with the goal to provide a college-level experience to talented and enthusiastic students from Clark County. Bullock’s late husband, Willis, placed seventh in a statewide math competition as a high school student and although he did not continue his education into the college level, he remained an avid lover of mathematics, said Daniel Harkins, Bullock’s attorney who set up the scholarship program for his client.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity and excited because I know I want to go to college for engineering and this will be the perfect opportunity to learn about the different types of engineering that are out there,” said Belovich, 16, a junior at Catholic Central.
Belovich heard about the scholarship opportunity through her advanced placement chemistry teacher. Nine students from Clark County enrolled and all were accepted into the program, but only five all-expense paid scholarships were available. The five scholarship winners were chosen by an independent panel at Johns Hopkins, based on their high school transcripts, teacher recommendation letters and applications.
The four students who were not offered the scholarship are still eligible to attend the program if they decide they would like to pay for it themselves, Harkins said.
The the four-week course will include hands-on lab activities in the fields of chemical, electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, materials science and robotics. Students will complete group projects and presentations, give lab reports and take weekly quizzes and a final exam. Students can earn three college credits from Johns Hopkins upon successful completion of the course and a final grade of an A or B.
Belovich has attended engineering camps at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, and at Wright State University, and looks forward to the camp at Johns Hopkins because its engineering school is one of the best in the country, she said.
The students will also get the chance to experience life on a college campus and take excursions throughout the month. They will be housed in a Johns Hopkins residence hall with other high school students.
“This gives gifted students in Clark County an opportunity and I’m convinced they are capable of participating in a successful way,” Harkins said.
This is the first year Bullock has funded the scholarships. If the camp is successful, she will look into possibly bringing the Johns Hopkins program to Clark State or Wittenberg next summer. If the engineering camp is held at a local college, 24 students would be able to attend, Harkins said.
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