Nicholas Cole

Nicholas applied for the DoD SMART scholarship in the fall term of 2019, and since he was only a freshman at the time, he did not expect to be named a finalist. DoD SMART offers an 8-12 week paid internship at a DoD lab in the United States, with full tuition+fees+room/board for college for the year, a $25,000 stipend for that year, and 1 year of post-grad employment. When he saw those benefits, he couldn't turn down the opportunity to apply.

Nicholas envisions himself working in the defense sector designing military weaponry after college. In his free time, he takes part in engineering clubs such as the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) student sections at Drexel. Joining these clubs has inspired him to pursue this scholarship.

Nicholas will be working with the 57th Intelligence Squadron at the Lackland Air Force Base outside of San Antonio Texas. Their main mission is to provide and sustain Electronic Warfare Systems and Radar Technologies for the United States Department of Defense and its allies as well. He is ecstatic and appreciative of receiving this award, and could not have done it without the many people who pushed him to help him succeed.

Last updated: April 2020