Evan Stahl is the first Wayne Community College graduate to receive a scholarship to transfer into East Carolina University’s engineering program.

Stahl was awarded a “PIRATES” scholarship that will provide up to $10,000 per year for two years of study in ECU’s College of Engineering and Technology.

The funds are from the Providing Inclusive Residential and Transfer Experience Scholarship (PIRATES) in Engineering program at the university.

Stahl earned his associate in science degree from WCC in May.

He said the WCC prepared him to begin working toward a bachelor in science in Engineering degree with an Electrical concentration at ECU.

“WCC was very rigorous. It kind of made me blossom,” Stahl said. “I started studying three hours a night for precalculus and that got me set for the rest.”

After ECU he hopes to enter the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates School with an eye toward becoming a pilot. He is also interested in a career in aerospace engineering.

“Electrical engineering will be very valuable to understanding onboard systems,” Stahl said.

“I am stoked,” Stahl said. “It would have been pretty hard to go to college without this scholarship.”

In addition to scholarships for students who transfer into ECU, the program provides $3,000 annual scholarships for low-income students enrolled in WCC’s Associate in Engineering program who plan to transfer into an engineering degree program at ECU.

The program was made possible by a $4 million grant to East Carolina University’s College of Engineering and Technology from the National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Program.

More information about the PIRATES in Engineering Scholarship or WCC’s Associate in Engineering degree program can be found at www.waynecc.edu/programs/engineering/ or by contacting Engineering Instructor Sam Pouryoussefi at 919-739-6966 or [email protected].