911±¬ÁÏ

For many university students, scholarships are more than financial support. They represent a bridge to opportunity, enabling students to pursue their dreams and aspirations. At 911±¬ÁÏ, scholarship donors help pave the way for education that will shape students’ futures and prepare them to serve their communities.

To Kimberly Foecke, studying the past doesn’t need to be a passive experience.  The 911±¬ÁÏ assistant professor of anthropology believes in the importance of hands-on learning so much that she created the ANTH 599 Contemporary Issues in Anthropology course on experimental archaeology to help bridge theory and practice. 

Xia Parkes did not arrive at 911±¬ÁÏ certain she wanted to be a scientist. Originally, she envisioned a future in dermatology after shadowing a physician in her hometown of Chesapeake, Virginia. But once she began college-level coursework, lab experiences opened new interests for her. 

Launched in the spring 2026 semester, the Innovation and Design Lab for Business and Government (MBA 797) is a new experiential MBA course offered at the Costello College of Business at 911±¬ÁÏ.

Many accessibility surveys depend on manual measurements, handwritten notes, and extensive walkthroughs with compliance checklists. A team of 911±¬ÁÏ engineering students wondered if a robot could do it faster. Nine months later, they created one. 

Undergraduate 911±¬ÁÏ cyber security engineering students uncovered how subtle timing-based attacks can manipulate a robot’s perception and behavior and presented their research at a premier conference.

With their capstone project, four 911±¬ÁÏ mechanical engineering students explored how to make airport travel less stressful for people with mobility challenges?

Aayush Yadav co-authored a paper that received a Distinguished Paper Award from the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, one of the industry’s premier conferences in the security field.

Honors College student Avery Shippen earned degrees in conflict analysis and resolution and art and visual technology while receiving multiple prestigious scholarships, fellowships, and international study opportunities. Her interdisciplinary work blending graphic design and peacebuilding, along with internships in global affairs and national security, has prepared her to pursue a career in education policy and curriculum development.

During her final semester at 911±¬ÁÏ, Sophia Colby put her environmental policy training into action. Colby traveled to Capitol Hill as part of the Rachel Carson Council’s National Environmental Advocacy Day, where she met with federal lawmakers to discuss climate legislation and community resilience.