Nonprofit FIRST Allocates $50 Million for High School, College Scholarships in 2017

Image Credit: FIRST.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an international nonprofit organization founded to inspire youth to participate in science and technology, has hit a milestone achievement of $50 million for its college scholarship program for high school and college students interested in STEM.

The FIRST Scholarship Program connects participants in the organization’s two robotics competitions — FIRST Tech Challenge (for students in grades 7 to 12) and FIRST Robotics Challenge (for high schoolers) — with higher education institutions, corporations, associations and FIRST alumni. The program is supported by nearly 200 organizations, such as the Stevens Institute of Technology, and makes almost 2,000 college scholarship opportunities available.  

“At Stevens Institute of Technology, hands-on learning opportunities are central to the development of leadership skills and innovative thinking among our students. Stevens’ collaborations with FIRST are a natural extension of this belief,” said Nariman Farvardin, president of the Stevens Institute of Technology, in a news release. “Many bright FIRST alumni have become Stevens students that give back to the program through volunteerism and mentorship, or help to host FIRST competitions on campus.”

A video highlighting the FIRST Robotics Challenge can be found below. To learn more about the program, visit the FIRST Scholarship Program site.

About the Author

Sri Ravipati is Web producer for THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured