Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Pittsburgh Post Announces Allegheny Arsenal Memorial Scholarship for 2021/2022 Academic Year

The SAME Pittsburgh Post created the Allegheny Arsenal Memorial Scholarship last year when SAME and the Pittsburgh Post both reached the 100-Year milestone. With a vision for the next 100 years, the Post expanded its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) support long provided to primary and secondary education students, to include college students pursuing a STEM related degree.

The Pittsburgh Post has always recognized the importance of strategic collaboration between civilians and the military, both for national defense and homeland security. Therefore, in establishing the Post’s college scholarship fund, the Post wanted to honor those civilians who perished in Lawrenceville at the Allegheny Arsenal while preparing ammunition for the Union troops. On September 17, 1862, a series of explosions at the Allegheny Arsenal killed seventy-eight people, mostly girls (some believed to be as young as 14), rolling cartridges for Union soldiers. With men off fighting the Civil War and concerns of horseplay among boys in a dangerous work environment, girls and young women were relied upon to roll ammunition for the troops in a true civilian-military partnership. In recognition of the tragic loss of these young arsenal employees, the SAME Pittsburgh Post, as part of its centennial observance, established the Allegheny Arsenal Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The Post is offering a scholarship to assist college students who are pursuing careers in STEM fields including: engineering, architecture, mathematics, technology, computer, or related science (chemistry, biology, physics, environmental) degree programs. A $1,500 scholarship will be awarded each year (subject to future Board revisions), based on applications received for the academic year. Students enrolled full-time as a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior in college for academic year 2021-2022 can apply. Anyone receiving the Allegheny Arsenal Memorial Scholarship may reapply in subsequent years but will be considered among the full pool of applications received for that academic year.

Full details and the application form are available on the Post’s website at www.SAME.org/Pittsburgh.

Applications will be received from August 18, 2021 through midnight, September 7, 2021 via email at: pittsburghpost@gmail.com