Through the NAWIC Founders' Scholarship Foundation, the organization awards over $25,000 each year to applicants in construction-related programs. Individual scholarships are generally between $1,000 and $2,000. NAWIC offers two types of scholarships: the Undergraduate Scholarship and the Construction Trades Scholarship. Both competitions consider financial need, employment history and extracurricular activities and require short essay responses. The Undergraduate Scholarship also takes into account a student's academic standing. It is only available to students currently enrolled full-time in a construction-related degree program and who intend to pursue a career within the construction industry. Some local chapters of NAWIC also have scholarship programs. You can obtain a list of NAWIC chapters near you by contacting the national headquarters.
National Association of Women in Construction
327 South Adams Street
Fort Worth, TX 76104
817-877-5551
nawic.org/nawic/NFSF
Civil, structural, and electrical engineering comprise another important segment of the construction industry, and women also are underrepresented in this field. The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) states that even though 55% of undergraduates in all fields in 2006 were female, only 20% of engineering undergraduates were female. In the interest in promoting the participation of young women in engineering, SWE offers scholarships of $1,000 to $10,000. In 2009 alone, SWE awarded over 180 scholarships for a total of $470,000. The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students at ABET-accredited U.S. universities. One international scholarship is also available to students studying in Querétaro, Mexico. State-wide SWE sections often have their own scholarship programs, too. The national SWE website lists links to state sections.
Society of Women Engineers
120 South La Salle Street, Suite 1515
Chicago, IL 60603
877-793-4636
societyofwomenengineers.swe.or
The Connecticut chapter of Professional Woman in Construction (PWC-CT) offers three one-year scholarships of varying amounts to undergraduates pursuing a construction-related degree at a two- or four-year college or university. Eligible disciplines include construction management, architecture and engineering. PWC-CT awards the scholarships based on grades, extracurricular activities, recommendations and a 300-word essay.
Professional Woman in Construction, Connecticut Chapter
P.O. Box 417
Hartford, CT 06141
860-284-5064
pwcusa.org