Solinsky Challenge Scholars Program
Are you an incoming Clarkson student looking to accelerate your personal and professional success in engineering and advanced manufacturing?
Clarkson University's Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers an annual Solinsky Challenge Scholars Program, bringing up to 100 of the University's top first-year engineering talent together to live, learn and grow each year.
Solinsky Challenge Scholars Benefits
Every Solinsky Challenge Scholar is:
- awarded $5,000 per year, for up to four years of undergraduate study at Clarkson, for a total of $20,000.
- offered the opportunity to live in a residential community of like-minded peers on our Solinsky Challenge Living and Learning Floor.
- encouraged to participate in projects and group discussions, group and individual meetings with alumni leaders in manufacturing, and visits to manufacturing companies.
- given priority access to Clarkson's Dorf Makerspace, engineering shop skills courses, and micro-credential programs which enhance the formal curriculum by focusing on cutting-edge technologies, business, and leadership development.
- given priority access to a 4+1 Master’s program with a focus on Advanced Manufacturing, including a tuition scholarship to participate in the MS program.
- dedicated access to additional mentoring and advising from Coulter School faculty and staff.
- dedicated access to additional career counseling from staff in our Career Center.
Solinsky Challenge Scholars Eligibility
Students must meet two basic criteria for consideration in the Solinsky Challenge Scholars Program: choice of Clarkson academic major and high school converted GPA of at least 3.0.
The following majors are eligible:
How to Apply
Step 1: Apply to Clarkson University
In order to be considered for the Solinsky Challenge Scholars Program, you must first apply to Clarkson University using the Common App or Clarkson App. Eligible students will automatically have a checklist item added to their "To Do List" in their Application Status Portal after they've completed their Clarkson application.
Early decision deadline is December 1. Regular decision deadline is January 15. The Solinsky Challenge Scholars deadline to submit all supplemental materials is February 1. Only as space allows will applications be accepted after this date. Applications for International, Transfer and Clarkson School students are accepted on a rolling basis until May 1. If you have any questions, please contact Scott McNulty, smcnulty@clarkson.edu.
Step 2: Essay
Choose one of the three essay topics below and submit a short essay of no more than 500 words, as well as a résumé. These supplemental materials need to be submitted by February 1. Early applications are welcome, and they will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee as they are completed.
- Essay Option #1 - Describe and/or show a hands-on project that you have worked on.
- Essay Option #2 - Describe what you want your professional resume to look like ten years after graduating from Clarkson.
- Essay Option #3 - Describe why you are passionate about a career in manufacturing.
Step 3: Resume
Your résumé summarizes your relevant experiences to date. Headings should include personal information (including your contact information, mailing address, email address, and a phone number where you can be reached), and you must have a section on Education. Other sections include some or all of the following: Experience making, building, or repairing products, Honors and Awards, Co-curricular Activities (school activities), Extra-curricular Activities (outside of school), Work and Volunteer Experience, and Other Activities (e.g. hobbies, interests, caregiving).
Part 4: Video
We want to see what you’ve been working on and the enthusiasm you will bring to campus as a Solinsky Challenge Scholar. Please submit a short video of a project you’ve worked on that you are passionate about.
Get Up To SPEED
Learn to build a better rocket. Or a sturdier bridge, cleaner snowmobile or sleeker electric car. Our 13 competitive SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) teams offer those and more experiences. In the past few years, our teams have captured four national championships!
The Student Prototyping Machine Shop
It's your one-stop shop for any design and fabrication needs.
Most actively used for SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) competitions, all students have access to the Student Prototyping Machine Shop's state-of-the-art facilities. Use the shop's equipment and resources to build the vital piece for your competition. Take the idea of a hands-on education at its most literal level and see what you can achieve.
About the Scholars Program
Ken '71 and Grace Solinsky have made the largest single targeted financial commitment in Clarkson University’s history through the Ken & Grace Solinsky Engineering Leadership Challenge, a landmark $32 million financial commitment to advance engineering education at Clarkson University.