Adam Mendelsohn of Leawood receives Boeing/FIRST Scholarship to attend Washington University in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, MO (08/26/2010)(readMedia)-- Adam Mendelsohn of Leawood, Kan. (66224), recently was named the recipient of the Boeing/FIRST Scholarship at Washington University in St. Louis.

A 2010 graduate of Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Mo., Mendelsohn will enter the university's School of Engineering & Applied Science as a freshman when the fall semester begins on Aug. 31.

Washington University, with support from Boeing, offers the annual scholarship to a high school senior who has participated on a FIRST team during high school.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., the not-for-profit organization designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math.

The scholarship is renewable for four years, as long as the student makes sufficient progress toward the degree.

To be eligible for this scholarship, a student must: have participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition or a FIRST Tech Challenge Team at least one full season during high school; be admitted to Washington University's School of Engineering as a full-time student; and demonstrate financial need.

Washington University is counted among the world's leaders in teaching and research and it draws students and faculty to St. Louis from all 50 states and more than 120 nations. The total student body is more than 13,500 undergraduate, graduate and professional students.

The approximately 3,290 faculty teach in seven schools: Arts & Sciences, Olin Business School, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, School of Engineering & Applied Science, School of Law, School of Medicine and George Warren Brown School of Social Work. Twenty-two Nobel laureates have been associated with Washington University, with nine doing the major portion of their pioneering research here.

The university offers more than 90 programs and almost 1,500 courses leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in a broad spectrum of traditional and interdisciplinary fields, with additional opportunities for minor concentrations and individualized programs.

Boeing, a FIRST Strategic Partner, is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 90 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training.

Boeing has a long tradition of aerospace leadership and innovation. Its broad range of capabilities includes creating new, more efficient members of its commercial airplane family; integrating military platforms, defense systems and the warfighter through network-enabled solutions; creating advanced technology solutions; and arranging innovative customer-financing options.

With corporate offices in Chicago, Boeing employs more than 159,000 people across the United States and in 70 countries. More than 123,000 of its employees hold college degrees - including nearly 32,000 advanced degrees - in virtually every business and technical field from approximately 2,700 colleges and universities worldwide.

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