Undergraduate Gibson earns prestigious ASME scholarship

Sam Gibson, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, was chosen to receive the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) International Standards & Certification Scholar Award.

The ISCS Award provides $10,000 to its recipients, and Gibson said his award will enable him to finish work on his engineering degree, which includes a minor in engineering leadership.

"These awards enable immense degrees of freedom within completing my degree," said Gibson. "They will tremendously lighten the financial burden and ultimately allow me to create a much larger impact in a prompt manner."

Gibson, who is from Harrisburg, South Dakota, has already had a big impact within Nebraska Engineering. He joined the ASME chapter as a freshman. By his sophomore year, Gibson was elected vice president and tasked with recruiting new members. Facing challenges from the pandemic as well, Gibson set up innovative networking events with professors and industry leaders.

The lessons learned from this process led Gibson to develop a unique marketing model that has helped to significantly raise membership in the ASME chapter. Those campaigns included advertising in campus buildings, attending club fair events, creating online flyers, and direct mailing.

"I was successful in organizing engaging events. However, I was not successful in recruiting members to attend these events," Gibson said. "From four active members two years ago to realizing our potential with now more than 65 members, we have effectively provided unique opportunities to engage in engineering projects at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I have learned and grown tremendously through this experience in empowering others to achieve highly in engineering and innovation."

Gibson, who is from Harrisburg, South Dakota, also received a $1,000 Crystal Group Innovation Scholarship. This award recognizes the academic accomplishments, leadership and participation in both school and community activities of full-time students pursuing an undergraduate degree in engineering, business, or a related major. Scholarship recipients receive a $1,000 scholarship payable directly to the institution in which they are enrolled.

After graduating in 2023, Gibson aspires to pursue a career in management consulting with a focus on interacting with firms across fields of aerospace, defense, energy, technology, industrial, consumer products and private equity.