Engineering students can expect some great opportunities in the fall with the establishment of the Husband-Boeing Honors Scholars Program at Fresno State.

The scholarship endowment, which was established in February of last year, will complement the new College of Engineering Honors Program that will be offered in the fall for all incoming freshmen and transfer students.

The $2 million endowment was created through a joint effort between Boeing and Fresno State to honor the legacy of Col. Rick Husband, a Fresno State graduate and commander of the space shuttle Columbia that crashed four years ago upon its return to Earth.

Engineering Dean Michael Jenkins announced the endowment on Feb. 1 during the university̢۪s tribute to Husband and the crew of the Columbia. The endowment provides four-year, full-tuition awards to 20 engineering students in the newly established Engineering Honors Program, which will be under the direction of electrical and computer engineering professor Nagy Bengiamin.

The scholarship will also allow for several other prospects, such as opportunities for internships and access to industry leaders. The $2 million will be spread out over the course of five years but the number of students awarded per year is variable.

Aviation industry leader Sam Iacobellis, former employee of Boeing predecessor North American Rockwell, made possible the union that led to the new scholarship program. Both Iacobellis and Husband were graduates of Fresno State.

It was Fresno State President John D. Welty and Vice President of University Development Peter Smits, Ph.D., who approached Iacobellis asking if he would collaborate a deal with Boeing that would not only benefit the school, but commemorate the crew of the Columbia and an esteemed alumnus.

Iacobellis later suggested the scholarship endowment to Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, who was eager to invest in a program that could benefit both students in their education and Boeing, which needs the kind of engineers Fresno State can produce.

“The Husband-Boeing Honors Scholars Program will help ensure future generations of engineers with the same vision and enthusiasm for innovation exemplified by Fresno State alums Rick Husband and Sam Iacobellis,â€Â Albaugh said in a press release when the endowment was announced in February 2007.

Boeing is one of the largest civil aircraft companies in the world and with 159,252 people on its payroll, is one of the largest employers in the nation as well. This proved to be a valuable selling point for Iacobellis when he presented the idea to Albaugh.

“I knew [Albaugh’s] feelings towards education and the need for educated engineers,â€Â said Iacobellis, who spoke highly of Fresno State’s engineering program.

Albaugh agreed that Fresno was a fitting home for the endowment because of Husband̢۪s collegiate history. According to Husband̢۪s widow, Evelyn Husband, he had his Bulldog sweatshirt onboard the Columbia to wear during its last mission.