Five Towson University students awarded scholarships from Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum

By Cody Boteler on June 30, 2021

Samuel Peacock, Ian Smith, Emilee Sheaffer, Yuqi Wan and Samun Shrestha— all Towson University juniors or seniors— were each awarded $5,000 scholarships from the Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum for the fall 2021 term. Shrestha and Peacock have been awarded the scholarship previously.

Tom Lonegro, a founding member of the forum and coordinator for the scholarship selection committee, says choosing the winners is always a rigorous process. The forum looks not just for high-performance GPAs but students who are taking active steps toward their career goals, he says.

The current recipients are majoring in computer science, business systems and processes or information technology, and all have GPAs above 3.5.

The Mid-Atlantic CIO Forum started in 2003 as a peer-to-peer regional network for CIOs and other senior-level informational technology executives. The forum, though independent, has a partnership with Towson University.

The organization has awarded more than $600,000 in scholarships to Towson University students since 2006.

Sheaffer, a rising senior from Mt. Airy, Maryland, says the scholarship has already been a boon because of the networking opportunities it’s created. The forum has regular meetings, and the student winners are invited to participate.

“I feel more connected to people and opportunities through this scholarship,” she says.

Peacock, one of the repeat winners, is majoring in computer science. He agrees the scholarship is great for networking, and says that winning the award validates his academic choices.

“I, as do many, often struggle with impostor syndrome, so being recognized for my work and experience with this scholarship is incredibly rewarding and reassuring that I am in the right field,” he says.

Sheaffer is double majoring in business systems and processes and business administration. She has an internship with Northrup Grumman this summer for the second consecutive year.

Her time, experience and connections with Towson University have allowed Sheaffer to excel, she says.

“I’ve been able to explore options and opportunities and to find what makes me happy at Towson,” she says. “For example, a guest speaker came to one of my classes, and that’s how I found my internship opportunity.”