Dear Future Sweet Briar Student,
I appreciate your interest in the Margaret Jones Wyllie ’45 Engineering Scholarship at Sweet Briar College. This scholarship reflects our commitment to empowering young women who are excited about shaping the future through engineering. The Wyllie Scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate strong academic performance and an evident passion for engineering, not financial need. As a merit-based award, it is added on top of any other aid you receive from Sweet Briar.
Wyllie Scholarships are awarded at $5,000 per year and are renewable for up to three additional years, totaling $20,000 over four years.
You’ll find the application details and required materials below. We look forward to learning more about your goals and what inspires you to pursue a career in engineering.
Please enter your activities using the survey format below. This section provides a valuable opportunity to share a more comprehensive picture of your interests, commitments, and accomplishments. If you have already completed the Common Application and submitted it to Sweet Briar College, you do not need to complete this section.
1. Essay Question 1
Students are often drawn to engineering because they want to address a pressing environmental, societal, economic, health-care, or technological challenge. Describe a challenge that motivates you to study engineering. Based on your research, outline a potential solution to this challenge and the steps you would take to implement it. Discuss both the intended positive impact and any possible negative consequences of your solution.
2. Essay Question 2A
Describe an extracurricular science or engineering project in which you have participated. What was the most significant technical challenge you faced? How did you approach and solve it? Please describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome.
3. Essay Question 2B
If you have not yet had the opportunity to engage in engineering activities, describe a personal challenge you have overcome—or are working to overcome. Please describe the situation, your response, and the outcome.
