(Left to right) Richard C. Benson, dean of the College of Engineering; Virginia Tech and an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Fellow Myrna Zamrik, Justin Klein, and Sam Zamrik.
BLACKSBURG, Va., Oct. 1, 2008 – The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) presented its first ASME/Virginia Tech Memorial Scholarship to mechanical engineering graduate student Justin Klein of Catonsville, Md.
The scholarship, managed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Foundation, marked the realization of a campaign to grow the ASME/Virginia Tech Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund, which was established shortly after the April 16, 2007 tragedy.
"Virginia Tech's College of Engineering is extremely pleased that ASME organized this effort and was able to fund the first scholarship. Justin is an excellent student and very deserving of this honor," said Richard Benson, dean of the college and the Torgersen Chair of Engineering.
The society's current past-president Sam Y. Zamrik and American Society of Mechanical Engineers auxiliary past-president Myrna R. Zamrik visited the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg to present the scholarship to Klein who is advised by National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipient Nakhiah Goulbourne, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering.
The scholarship was made possible by the generous outpouring of donations from society members and staff, divisions, students, and many other supporters.
The Zamriks said, "The ASME/VT Memorial Scholarship will grow to ensure that Virginia Tech engineering graduate students, like Justin, can pursue their education and dreams."
Myrna Zamrik, who raises money for group through the auxiliary, presented the check to Klein, and Zamrik who presented him with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers certificate.