The ScholarPOWER Banquet was originally conceived as a corporate-sponsored event created to honor the academic achievement of under-represented minority engineering students, who historically have not participated in, achieved at, or graduated from universities at the same rate as students from the majority population. Although this annual event still seeks, in particular to encourage and recognize achievement by those groups, the ScholarPOWER awards are available to all students, of any race, ethnicity, gender, or national origin, who participate in activities that work to bridge the academic achievement gap of underrepresented students

To qualify for the ScholarPOWER Banquet, a student must have participated in a qualifying activity as determined by CEDO and meet all of the requirements listed under any of the eight recognition categories listed below:

Undergraduate Achievement

• Full time status throughout UM Career
  (Progression toward Engineering Degree within 10 semesters)
• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
• At least 3 full semesters of residential credits

Rising Student Achievement

• Full time status throughout UM Career
  (Progression toward Engineering Degree within 10 semester)
• Minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA
• Two consecutive terms of cumulative GPA improvement
• At least 3 full semesters of residential credits

New Student Achievement

• Full time status
• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA prior to Winter 2012
• First year student or first year transfer

Masters Student Achievement

• Minimum 6.6 cumulative GPA

Ph.D. Student Achievement

• Graduate or candidacy between Winter 2011-Fall2012

Special Achievement Award

• Nomination from either the faculty program advisor or staff
• Students who are reasonably close to meeting the regular criteria in any of the other recognition categories despite having had to overcome severe obstacles to get to where they are now (e.g.,  severe illness, accident, single parent, heavy work schedule or travel distance, had been on  probation after first term or year, etc.)

Stellar Multicultural Performance Award

• Nomination of one student in each department from the department chair, faculty or staff program advisor
• Students who demonstrate a sense of multicultural understanding and diversity awareness as  evidenced by their participation in specific programs or initiatives related to these areas
• Minimum GPA 3.0
• Full Time Status
• At least 3 full semesters of residential credits

Directors Award

The Directors’ Award will be presented to one outstanding senior level student that a committee of  five faculty and staff feels best represents the College's vision of tomorrow's global engineering  leader. The committee will evaluate GPA, Internships held, research conducted and a written essay  based upon a question presented by the committee. To be eligible for consideration of this award, the student must meet all of the requirements listed below and must participate in the committee selection process described above.

• Full time status
• Senior standing as of fall 2011 with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• At least 3 full semesters

Students meeting the criteria set forth in any of the recognition categories described above will  receive an invitation to the ScholarPOWER Banquet in campus mail.