FORT WORTH, TEXAS, August 9, 2015 – Elbit Systems of America, LLC, an innovative leader in defense, commercial aviation, homeland security and medical instrumentation solutions, announces its continued commitment in developing tomorrow’s innovative leaders by supporting STEM education.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and the education of these disciplines. According to the United States Department of Education, only 16 percent of American high school seniors are proficient in mathematics and are interested in a STEM career.
“I believe it is important that our nation maintains a lead in mathematics and science,” commented Raanan Horowitz, Elbit systems of America President and Chief Executive Officer. “As a manufacture of integrated system solutions we see the importance of this education on a daily basis and are committed to supporting our youth and young adults through internship training, scholarships, and mentoring.”
Elbit Systems of America, in conjunction with the Army Scholarship Foundation, established a scholarship to assist children of current and former members of the United States Army and to spouses of currently serving soldiers in their pursuit of higher education within STEM disciplines. This scholarship was created in the honor of SFC Neal Benson, an employee of Elbit Systems of America. An eight-year employee and former engineer, Benson is also a member of the Army National Guard, 20th Special Forces Group. During Benson’s second tour in Afghanistan, he was injured by an Improved Explosive Device. The explosion left SFC Benson with serious head, eye and facial trauma.
“It is honor to be the namesake of this scholarship. When someone joins the Army to serve our nation, it’s not just the soldier who makes sacrifices, their entire family does,” stated Benson. “This scholarship provides the opportunity for military families to continue their education in a field that will further serve our country.”
In addition to the Army Scholarship, Elbit Systems of America also supports the “FIRST™ (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Scholarship.” These scholarships are awarded to high school seniors that participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition and demonstrate leadership within the program. In the summer of 2015, Horowitz announced Michelle Arnold of Medford, New York, and Sakshi Hester of San Diego, California, as the first recipients of the Elbit Systems of America FIRST Robotics scholarships.
According to Thomas Boehm, Arnold’s program mentor, Michelle first became interested in robotics during her freshman year of high school. This program allowed her to pursue her passion for computer science. Arnold will continue her studies at RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), while Hester will attend UC Berkeley. Each will receive a scholarship for $5000.
Every year the company also extends scholarships to the dependent children of employees. Since the inception of this program, Elbit Systems of America has provided 41 scholarships to children continuing their education in a STEM discipline with dreams of careers in Engineering, Finance, and Medical fields.
At Elbit Systems of America it is about more than financial contributions. Employees also devote their time to supporting STEM programs by mentoring students in the areas of the FIRST Lego League Robotics Competition and Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). Denton Marlowe, a hardware engineer from Talladega, AL, mentored Team Interstellar on topics such as propulsion, rocket design, and aerodynamics. The team, from Lincoln High School, was one of 100 teams from across the United States that qualified for the TARC National Finals in Washington, DC.
“I like that fact that Elbit Systems of America is willing to invest in more than the future of the company, but also in the future of our society as a whole, inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers,” said Marlowe.
Each summer, Elbit Systems of America hosts STEM interns as part of their engineering department working side-by side with seasoned engineers. The collaboration with industry professionals allows students to witness the real-world application of science and technology.
“Our company commits millions of dollars annually into research and development. More importantly is our commitment to future engineers through our internship program,” commented Bill Lenz, Vice President Engineering. “This summer, we have several STEM interns in each of the four disciplines that have the opportunity to advance their knowledge of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. These students also bring fresh, innovative ideas to the company. Our commitment is to nurture their passion for STEM and to encourage them in reaching their career goals.”
