DEARBORN, MI-Alexandria Moseley, a manufacturing and engineering student at the Oregon State University (class of 2013)-has been recognized as one of 15 most promising college engineering students in the United States and across the world byNational Engineers Week. The finalist hails from Newburg, OR, and has been supported with scholarship funding provided by the SME Education Foundation.

In 2008, Alexandria began her career path in manufacturing engineering as intern at an Oregon manufacturing company. In 2010, in another internship, she worked on two projects under the supervision of two Industrial Engineers for the Oregon Department of Transportation. In 2011, building on her internship at the manufacturing company, her responsibilities included supporting production lines by designing work fixtures, modifying layouts, participating in Kaizen and other lean events.

“The further I delve into my industrial and manufacturing engineering studies, the more aware I become of just how largely our society depends on this area of work,” Moseley says. “The opportunity to positively influence the field of manufacturing, whether by instruction or research, provides all the challenge and personal fulfillment I could ever desire in a career. I am so thankful to the SME Education Foundation.”

Recognition of Moseley’s accomplishments is a return on investment for the SME Education Foundation funding of $5.2 million since 2005 to address the transformation of manufacturing education, change public perception of manufacturing, and address the shortage of manufacturing and technical talent in the United States.

In 2010, through the SME Education Foundation Scholarship Program, Moseley received the Charles Chambers Directors Scholarship Award of $5,000 and in 2011, received the Arthur and Gladys Cervenka Scholarship Award of $2,600.

This is the first year the popular initiative has expanded to recognize the best and brightest college engineering students. The National Engineers Week Foundation has honored young engineering professionals with its New Faces of Engineering award since 2003.

Winners were recognized for academic excellence, leadership within student organizations, outstanding communications skills, non-engineering related community service and involvement in the engineering industry.