Phase 3 SMART scholar Emberle Lawson embraces the rewarding experience she had with the SMART Scholarship Program. In 2013, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division – Lakehurst in Lakehurst, New Jersey offered Emberle a SMART award to pursue her bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Villanova University. After graduation, Emberle started her full-time job and fulfilled her service commitment with her sponsoring facility, stating that “serving out [her] obligation felt less like a duty and more like a thank you for what the SMART Program has done for [her].” She is still an employee of her sponsoring facility and enjoying the company she keeps at work. “I love the people I work with,” says Emberle. “We are all united in our mission to support the warfighter. The fact that I am serving my country in a field I love is what motivates me.” As an advocate for STEM and education outreach, Emberle finds ways to give back to the community and inspire the next generation to pursue a rewarding career in STEM.
Matthew Halstead
PhD, Nuclear Engineering
