Intel establishes scholarship pilot program for Ohio women

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (WCMH) -- Intel established a scholarship pilot program earmarked for women in Ohio.

Applications are available online for the Intel Semiconductor Scholarship for Women, which is a $5,000 award that will go out to up to 25 applicants by the end of June, according to the scholarship listing. High school seniors who identify as female, live in Ohio and plan to pursue a semiconductor-related associate degree in the STEM field are eligible. 

Associate degrees that are “relevant to the semiconductor manufacturing industry” might include those in: 

• Electrical/electronic/electro-mechanical engineering technology
• Chemical/mechanical engineering
• Microelectronics or mechatronics
• Computer electronic technology
• Other similar STEM degrees, excluding medicine

“Intel believes that current and future workforces should reflect the makeup of our nation,” wrote Emily Smith, Intel’s Ohio public affairs director. “Guided by our RISE Goals, we’re proud to invest in, support, and collaborate on initiatives that help pave pathways into the technology industry.”

Awardees have to attend an accredited two-year community or technical college in Ohio. They will be selected based on their academic record, work and extracurriculars, a "statement of educational and career goals and objectives aligned to the semiconductor industry," and unusual family circumstances, the listing said.

The scholarship is through a partnership between Intel and Scholarship America, a philanthropic corporation that assists with awards processes. 

After announcing its plans for a computer chip manufacturing facility in New Albany in early 2022, the chipmaker has pledged to invest heavily in Ohio education -- eventually funneling $50 million total toward state higher education.

Intel announced where the first $17.7 million of those funds would be allocated in September: to the Ohio Semiconductor Education and Research Program, which will fund proposals led by seven universities in Ohio. It said in a Sept. 9 news release it believes the first $17.7 million will prepare 9,000 students for the field and award more than 2,300 scholarships.

The deadline for the Intel Semiconductor Scholarship for Women is June 8 at 12:59 a.m., according to the listing. The application can be found here.