In 2019, Rob (Engr ’81) and Cindy Greer established the Greer Family Scholarship to support students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science from rural and under privileged areas in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The scholarship honors the University for the educations it provided to three generations of Greer family members. The scholarship will benefit engineering students who might not otherwise qualify for need-based financial aid, who overcame life challenges and who intend to use their UVA education to better serve their communities.
This potential three-year $45,000 scholarship is open to current first-year undergraduate students who are enrolled full time at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. Recipients must demonstrate integrity, leadership and a curiosity for the world around them, originate from a rural or underprivileged area in the Commonwealth of Virginia and have earned a minimum GPA of 2.0. Scholarships may be renewed subject to a renewal process. Interviews will be held for those selected as finalists.
The deadline for this year has passed.
Scholars
Emelyne Nininahazwe (Class of 2028) is a first-generation college student from Roanoke, Virginia, who aspires to earn a Doctorate in Nursing. She is a biology major, working towards transferring into the School of Nursing. Professionally, she is employed as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Our Lady of the Valley in Roanoke and Westminster Canterbury of Blue Ridge in Charlottesville. Emelyne has extensive experience in early childhood development through TAP HeadStart, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families with low socioeconomic status. She is deeply committed to serving her community and expresses heartfelt gratitude to the Greer Family for their support in her academic and professional journey.
Indigo Samson (Class of 2028) is a first-year Public Policy major focused on community development and equity. She has successfully organized grant funding for social equity initiatives within her hometown of Alexandria, Virginia, and is preparing to conduct community empowerment research with the African feminist organization MOSAIC, supporting policies against gender-based abuse in South Africa. Thanks to the generosity of the Greer family, Indigo is able to enhance her impact by dedicating additional time to research through UVA’s Humanitarian Collaborative and the Center for Social Innovation, continuing her work to advance equity in marginalized communities on both local and global scales.
Thomas Van Pelt (Class of 2028) is a Systems Engineering major from Augusta County, VA. At UVA, Thomas has contributed to managing and creating content for Hoos Reporting, a student-led college reporting page designed to keep students’ families updated on current events at The University. Additionally, he is collaborating with an app development team to create an app that tracks a game of tag for university students. His long-term aspirations include establishing a home automation business to provide homeowners and businesses with advanced automation technology. The Greer Scholarship will allow him to continue his studies and secure an internship in his hometown.
Emma Steiner (Class of 2027):
With the Greer Family Scholarship, I have been able to dedicate myself more towards my educational efforts, interests, and environmental research, and for that I will be forever grateful. Majoring in Global Environments and Sustainability alongside this scholarship and the people who have supported me will allow me to follow my dream path after graduating—joining the Peace Corps and giving back to the rest of the world what has been given to me. I hope to serve in the Peace Corps, then focus on sustainability policy and giving back to the communities I grew up in by any means possible. Thank you, Greer family, for making this dream path possible and for giving me the opportunity to give back to the places I hold dearest in my heart—in Charlottesville and back home.
Cora Wilson (Class of 2027)
is a rising second-year student from Hurt, VA, majoring in Civil Engineering. She mentors local middle school girls through the UVA chapter of Girl Up and conducts tours for visiting high school students interested in the engineering school through the Society of Women Engineers. Cora is spending her second summer interning at LE&D Professionals in Danville, VA and plans to return to her hometown to work as a civil engineer upon graduation. She would like to one day earn her professional engineering license and open and own her own civil engineering firm. Cora plans to continue to reach out to younger generations to encourage their interest in engineering and other STEM fields.
A native of Elkton, Corrina Peachey (Class of 2026) is a biomedical engineering major and undergraduate research assistant in the Peirce-Cottler Biomedical Engineering Lab. Her long-term goals center on serving rural communities through affordable and equitably engineered healthcare solutions. The Greer Scholarship will enable Corrina to explore more easily her interest in engineering ethics, while making room for enrichment.
Sal Adrian (Class of 2025): Since receiving the scholarship, I’ve been able to dedicate more time to not only my education, but also to my community. As the Outreach Co-Chair for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, I’ve been able to work with middle and high school students to encourage them to pursue higher education in engineering. I’ve also had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant and help navigate first year engineering students with client based projects. The Greer Family scholarship has allowed me to grow more at the university, thank you Greer family!
Emma Laubengayer (Class of 2024): The Greer family scholarship has allowed me to pursue research under Robert Kelly and Carolina Moraes, assisting them with investigating the corrosive behavior of aluminum alloys, as well as the interaction between those alloys and magnesium primers. This pathway has led me to presenting my research at the Undergraduate Research Expo as well as earning a research fellowship under the Dean of Engineering. The continued support of the Greer family has made it possible for me to attend the AMPP 2023 conference, where I will have the chance to present my work to experts in the industry of corrosion prevention.
Joshua Devine (Class of 2022)