For DonorsFor Applicants

William L. Keltz Engineering Scholarship

Funded by
$1,500
1 winner$1,500
Awarded
Application Deadline
May 13, 2024
Winners Announced
Jun 13, 2024
Education Level
High School
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High school senior
State:
Pennsylvania
Field of Study:
Engineering

William Laurence Keltz turns 85 in 2024 and his family is honoring this milestone by starting an annual scholarship in his name.

William is a retired engineer with a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his education and spent the majority of his life living and working in Philadelphia and its suburbs. His time at Conestoga High School in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District in the Philadelphia suburbs in particular was an important foundation for his future career and is still a part of his life as an active alumni from the class of 1957!

This scholarship seeks to honor him by supporting a high school senior who has developed an interest in engineering and will be studying it in college. 

Any high school senior in Pennsylvania who is pursuing an engineering degree in college may apply for this scholarship opportunity.

To apply, tell us what interests you about pursuing a career in engineering, and how you hope your experiences in high school will impact your future.

Selection Criteria:
High School Achievement, Ambition, Drive, Passion
Published December 18, 2023
Essay Topic

What interests you about pursuing a career in engineering, and how you hope your experiences in high school will impact your future.

400–600 words

Winning Application

Tressa Hanna
Lehigh UniversityHERSHEY, PA
To be an engineer is to use your knowledge to best help the world. The field of engineering extends beyond the bounds of math and science, it reaches to solve basis for human existence and the future life on earth. Engineering allows us to ponder the intricacies of the world with limitless possibilities. It's letting our mind wander to the unthinkable, while feeling small and insignificant against the vastness and complexity of the universe around us. It's letting innovation and unthinkable ideas guide our actions into building a better world. Specifically, engineering allows me to connect my love for discovery and exploration, to my creativity and yearn to help the people around me. Engineering is appealing because it combines creativity and problem solving for the betterment of systems, organizations, communities, and culture; it’s the process of asking questions and applying knowledge and information learned to build a sustainable future. Furthermore, becoming an engineer fosters a growth mindset and teaches a person how to persevere through the unknown, forcing them to critically contemplate the world. Engineers cannot remain stagnant in their thinking, they need to be forward thinkings that are scared of failure and asking what is next. Throughout high school I have begun to realize the impact that adverse situations have on my life. I come from a diverse background, my parents work and live at a school for kids under the poverty line. I also work with higher-income families through my role as a summer camp counselor and math tutor. Furthermore, my family is biracial with my dad's family coming from Palestine and my mom's originating form Ohio. Through all of the challenges and experiences I gained from high school, one thing that became clear is that my career and future would be centered around working to help the individuals around me. Engineering will combine my interest in science and math with my passion to helping those in need. I hope that my high school experiences extend my ability to help people by connecting me to a wider variety of diverse people. I hope my diverse experiences throughout high school connects me to people that I can help, and can hopefully mentor me. I have my entire college future and work life beyond high school ahead of me. I wish to impact the world through my unique diverse background and drive to learn and create inventions to help people. I hope to combine my interest in both engineering and Arabic to help a wider variety of people succeed in their physical, educational, and personal lives.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is May 13, 2024. Winners will be announced on Jun 13, 2024.