Ansari Named Bell Helicopter Engineers on a Mission Scholarship Recipient

Department of Mechanical Engineering student Soophia Ansari has been named the inaugural Bell Helicopter Engineers on a Mission scholarship recipient. Through this scholarship, Bell Helicopter will support her continuing undergraduate studies. The Bell scholarship, which is supported by Terps at Bell Helicopter, was created this year to help fund some of the Clark School’s most academically impressive students who are on course to work in the rotorcraft and aviation field.

Ansari is a junior in mechanical engineering and minoring in International Development and Conflict Management. She has been incredibly active during her time here at Maryland. She’s involved with Gamera, UMD’s Human Powered Helicopter project which aims to achieve man powered flight. She is an active member of Engineers without Borders, which is currently working on a water drainage system for a community in Addis Alem, Ethiopia.

Additionally, Ansari is a Clark School ambassador and a member of Society for Women Engineers (SWE), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and Alpha Omega Epsilon Professional Engineering Sorority. She attributes these different activities to inspiring her passions in engineering.

Mechanical Engineering Visiting Committee member and Bell Helicopter Repair Strategy Lead Charley Kilmain said of Ansari, “[she] is everything and more that we required for the scholarship! I am extremely impressed with her.”

(L-R) Jennifer Schwartz, Clark School Senior Director of Development for Corporations and Foundations; Caroline McCarthy, Textron University Relations Manager; Allison Thompson, UMD Bell Boot Camp participant; John Hayward, Textron Senior Vice President & General Manager; Soophia Ansari, Charley Kilmain (Bell), Adam Hurwitz, UMD Bell Boot Camp participant & Bell intern; and Natalie Grandison, Department of Mechanical Engineering Director of External Relations

After graduation, Ansari plans on bringing her skills gained at UMD to an aircraft or aviation and aerospace related company. Ultimately, she wants to pursue law school in order to practice patent law with a focus on aviation.

For years, Bell, a Textron Company, has actively engaged with and supported Maryland students through class sponsorships, inclusion in their competitive summer boot camp, internship opportunities, and most recently, the new Bell Helicopter Engineers on a Mission Scholarship Fund.

Published December 22, 2015