Semancik, Dr. William J. and Margaret M. Laco Semancik Endowment for Electrical Engineering
The Dr. William J. Semancik and Margaret M. Laco Semancik Endowment for Electrical Engineering was established in 2018 by University of Akron alumni Dr. William J. and Margaret M. Semancik.
William Semancik (from Bridgeport, Ohio), and Margaret Laco (from Lakewood, Ohio), met during freshman orientation at The University of Akron in the summer of 1972. William and Margaret were married on September 11, 1976 and moved to the Baltimore/Washington area in the spring of 1977. In appreciation of the educational foundation provided at the University for their respective engineering and nursing careers, they have established this endowment.
Margaret graduated in 1976 from The University of Akron with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and received a Master of Administrative Science degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1986.
William graduated from The University of Akron in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In 1981, he received his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. In 1992, William earned his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from The Catholic University of America.
William had a 39-year career with the U.S. Department of Defense which was also his employer during his cooperative education program at °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ. He ended his government career as a member of the Senior Executive Service. After retirement from the Department of Defense, William joined MIT Lincoln Laboratory as senior staff in the Cyber Systems and Operations Division. During his career, William practiced the engineering profession in a wide range of subject areas including digital signal processing, high-speed digital system design, compound semiconductors, electronic packaging, space communications, large scale telecommunications networks, cyber security and information assurance. William met and discussed problems with leaders in the commercial and scientific communities and occasionally proposed problem solutions to some of the nation’s premier technical study groups. These opportunities inspired him to develop an understanding of as many technical areas as possible, and the educational opportunities that made his career possible. This endowment is established so others may have the same opportunities to be part of this profession based upon a firm foundation of a technical education.
Outside his work life, William was active in the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers having held positions at the local section, the region and in the technical societies and boards. He enjoyed hiking through many of the national parks and photographing the wonders that he saw.
The Dr. William J. Semancik and Margaret M. Laco Semancik Endowment for Electrical Engineering is designated to provide funding for the °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ College of Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering and for electrical engineering student scholarships.
Annual distributions from The Dr. William J. Semancik and Margaret M. Laco Semancik Endowment for Electrical Engineering are to be allocated as follows:
Fifty percent (50%) to The Dr. William J. Semancik and Margaret M. Laco Semancik Electrical Engineering Scholarship, providing support for tuition and fees to °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ students pursuing undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering. Selection will be made by the University Scholarship Committee.
Fifty percent (50%) to The Dr. William J. Semancik and Margaret M. Laco Semancik Electrical Engineering Fund, which will be distributed at the discretion of the department chair, or the chair’s designee, for University business expenses and purposes aligned with the mission and priorities of the Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering and °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ. Resources may be used for, but are not limited to, additional scholarships, assistantships, research, equipment purchases, faculty and staff professional development and student travel to conferences.
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