The goal of this program is to assist full-time ASCE/SEI Civil Engineering Student members (all levels B.S., M.S., Ph.D. – student membership is free) to develop and expand their professional opportunities and careers through the Electrical Transmission and Substation Structures Conference (ETS) September 14-18, 2025 in Dallas, TX. The scholarship is made possible by the SEI Futures Fund.

The scholarship provides complimentary registration and travel assistance for selected student members to attend and actively participate at the ETS in-person conference. This scholarship has helped students like graduate research assistant Miaomiao Li create valuable connections, as she shares in her experience below.

The selected scholarship recipients will be assigned a conference committee member (working professional in the industry) as an informal mentor at the conference. This mentor involvement will allow the student to immerse themselves into the full conference and networking experience. 

The scholarship will be offered at two levels:

• Tier 1: Scholarship covers conference full registration, economy travel with a minimum 14-day advance purchase and ASCE standard $175 per diem for the 5-day conference toward lodging and any other cost. This is not full reimbursement. Travel and per diem is reimbursable to recipients following the conference with full participation and completion of the scholarship requirements.
• Tier 2: Scholarship covers conference full registration only and is intended for applicants that would be attending the conference without travel or per diem reimbursement.

Requirements

The applicant must be a full-time student member of ASCE/SEI (age 18 years or older) and first-time attendee to the ETS Conference. 

The applicants will be evaluated according to:

1. How the applicant's attendance at the ETS Conference would serve to benefit their current engineering curriculum.
2. The applicant's short-term career goals (1–4 years after graduation).
3. The applicant's long-term career goals (5 years after graduation).
4. Volunteer and/or professional organization participation.
5. GPA or stated need of support are used by review committee when scores are close.

Recipients are required to participate in an orientation conference call(s) prior to the conference, a brief welcome on-site Sunday, September 14, and participate in the complete in-person conference events starting with the pre-conference workshop 1:00 pm September 14, 2025.

Recipients are required to submit feedback on their experience by September 28 (this is also required for travel reimbursement). Feedback may be used in SEI communications.

Apply by April 15, 2025. Fill out the online form. Selected recipients will be notified by May 5. 2025.