A student from West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources was recently awarded a scholarship from the national Fellowship Board of Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honor society.

Amy Burt, of Damascus, Ohio, will receive $2,000 for her senior year of engineering study. The scholarship was awarded based on high scholarship, campus leadership and service and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession.

A junior, Burtis holds a double major in mining engineering and agribusiness management and rural development; she will graduate in December, 2012. This summer, she will work as an intern for Patriot Coal Company, and upon graduation, plans to work as an operations engineer or a permitting engineer for a coal company with a specialization in surface mining systems. She plans to pursue a license as a professional engineer so that she can work in the mining field.

“Winning the scholarship was important to me for because I wanted to see how I compare to other engineering students throughout the United States,” said Burt. “That I won this scholarship proves that WVU is nationally competitive in the programs it offers.”

Burt is the 2011-2012 vice president of WVU’s chapter of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, a member of Tau Beta Pi, a student ambassador for the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, a member of the Davis College Student Council, and a member of Gamma Sigma Delta. Additionally, she is a WAAIME Scholarship Recipient, has been named a Davis College outstanding junior and has been on the Presidents List every semester of her college career.

“When our students win national scholarships, it not only reflects positively on the quality of our students, but it also reflects positively on the college and the individual academic programs with regard to an ability to attract students who are high achievers,” said Dr. Chris Bise, chair of the Mining Engineering Department.

Tau Beta Pi is the Engineering Honor Society, founded at Lehigh University in 1885. It has collegiate chapter at 237 engineering colleges in the U.S. and active alumnus chapters in 20 cities. It has initiated more than 525,000 members in its 125-year history and is the world’s largest engineering society.

—WVU—

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CONTACT: Mary Dillon, CEMR
(304) 293-4086
mary.dillon@mail.wvu.edu