Congratulations to 2026-27 CS Scholarship Winners!

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

The University of Iowa Department of Computer Science is grateful for the generosity of donors who make our scholarships possible. We recognize our 2026-27 scholarship* recipients, listed below:

Cobin Bliss — Frank A. Park Scholarship

"I am deeply honored to receive the Frank A. Park Scholarship and want to express my sincere gratitude. As a first-generation student and Woodbury County native studying Computer Science at the University of Iowa, this award alleviates financial pressure and allows me to focus fully on my passion for firmware and software engineering."

This summer, Cobin worked as a Firmware/Software Engineering Intern at Schneider Electric in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has been given the opportunity to continue the internship part-time throughout the upcoming fall semester. "Programming has never felt like just a career path to me. I genuinely enjoy the process of learning new technologies, solving difficult
problems, and exploring how software systems work at a deeper level. In the future, I plan to pursue a career in Software Engineering or Firmware Engineering."

Connor Brooks — Principal Scholars Award

"I am honored to be chosen as the recipient of the Principal Scholars Award. It means a lot to me to be recognized for my academic achievements so far. I am very grateful to have this scholarship supporting my academic and professional growth."

This summer, Connor was part of a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. "I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to robotics research here, specifically in Agricultural Robotics. I both learned a lot of new things and also applied the CS and Mathematics concepts that I’ve learned at the University of Iowa. I’m looking forward to using this opportunity as a starting place in the field of robotics research."

Benjamin Hourcade — Joseph Barkmeier and Ann Tice Scholarship

"Receiving this scholarship means a great deal to me... I spent this past summer conducting unpaid research. This award makes a massive impact by covering over a third of my tuition for the upcoming year, consequently allowing me to focus fully on my studies in the U2G MCS program. I love the University of Iowa, and my time here has been deeply rewarding. Opportunities like this inspire me to give back and support future Hawkeyes in the same way you have supported me."

This summer, Ben conducted research with the CompEpi group under the supervision of Dr. Pemmaraju, and recently co-authored a paper submitted to a prestigious conference. He is looking forward to serving on the executive board for the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) during the 2026–2027 academic year.

Hannah Howard — Vetrivel Family Scholarship

"I am extremely grateful for the support of the Vetrivel family through this award for the 2026-27 school year...This award will help me as I prepare to complete my bachelor’s program in Data Science and eventually pursue a master’s degree. This award will also support me as I remain involved with the department this semester as the president of the Data Science Organization and a committed member of the Women in Computing Sciences club."

This summer, Hannah worked as a Data Analyst Intern with Mediacom Communications Corporation in their Human Resources department in West Des Moines, IA. She is the first ever recipient of the Vetrivel Family Scholarship, established in 2025-26. "In the long-term, I hope to complete bachelor’s degrees in both Data Science and Mathematics in the next two years, as well as the U-to-G master’s degree in Data Science in the following year."

Benjamin Kleiman — Arthur A. Collins Scholarship

"I am honored to accept the Arthur A. Collins Scholarship for the 2026–2027 academic year. I am incredibly grateful to Collins Aerospace for their generous support and investment in students pursuing careers in computer science. This scholarship will help me continue my studies at the University of Iowa while pursuing opportunities in research and industry settings. Thank you for your confidence in my future. I look forward to making the most of this opportunity."

This summer Ben worked full-time as a Cybersecurity Intern at John Deere. He did full-stack development on internal tools that keep John Deere applications accessible, safe, and secure. In the past, Ben has done AI/HCI research at Carnegie Mellon University with the REUSE program, and before that, he worked under Dr. Segre and Dr. Polgreen at the University of Iowa, investigating how to use computer science to process and model infectious disease data.

Eric Lucas — David Spang Scholarship

"I am grateful to receive the 2026-2027 David Spang Award, which will be used to support my continued studies in computer science and mathematics at the University of Iowa. This scholarship will help me tremendously as I complete my senior year and prepare for the next steps in my education and career. I hope to honor David's legacy by not only continuing my passion for computer science, but by also making a positive impact on the people around me."

This year, Eric is excited to work with Professor Muchao Ye with his research on using constrained LLM models to solve difficult math problems. The work will be part of Eric's honors thesis. "There is something uniquely satisfying about breaking down a difficult problem into smaller pieces and finally arriving at a working solution.That process of discovery and creativity is what continues to motivate me every day in my studies."

Aidan McGrane — Jason and Leslie Weber Emerging Technologies Scholarship

"I am sincerely grateful to have been selected for the Jason and Leslie Weber Emerging Technologies Scholarship. As I enter my final year of studies in computer science, I am very excited to master new topics in the field, and to work on new projects that demonstrate all that I have learned during my time here. Through their generous donation, Jason and Leslie Weber have helped me turn my academic goals into a reality. This investment in my future will make a significant impact for me, which I deeply appreciate."

Aidan recently completed a summer software engineering internship with Capital One, and served previous internships at Collins Aerospace, and Unity Point Health. He is a past Vice President of our ACM chapter, and the chief technology officer of the Quantitative Finance Club.

Ben Nickels — Gerard P. Weeg Scholarship

"I am very grateful to have received this scholarship from the Weeg Family, and it will be a great help for me in finishing my degree and moving on to the next stages of my career as a Software Developer."

Ben is entering his fourth year at UIowa, and is working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. "My main focus after graduation is to enter the industry and build my career. I have aspirations to go to graduate school, as I know it would be extremely beneficial for my knowledge and skills as a developer."

Aliese Schmaltz – Gerard P. Weeg Scholarship

"As a student in the combined B.S./M.S. Data Science program at the University of Iowa, receiving the Gerard P. Weeg Scholarship is both an incredible honor and a meaningful encouragement. My passion lies at the intersection of advanced analytics and educational empowerment, using data-driven insights to improve student learning outcomes. I am profoundly grateful to the Weeg family for their generosity, which allows me to focus on my graduate studies and my work mentoring fellow students."

Aliese has served as a former Peer Mentor and Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader in the Office of Student Learning. Both this summer and last summer, Aliese worked as a Data Science & Analytics Intern with John Deere. "This intersection of advanced data science and educational support is what shapes my professional aspirations. I want to use my quantitative skills for good, specifically within the realm of higher education."

Austin Stierman — Arthur A. Collins Scholarship

"I'm incredibly grateful to Collins Aerospace for selecting me as a recipient of the Arthur A. Collins Scholarship. This support means a great deal as I continue my studies in Computer Science at the University of Iowa and my current work towards building technology that contributes to financial and environmental transparency in business. I'm thankful for Collins Aerospace's investment in students like me, and for the opportunities that make a path in this field possible."

Austin has completed three interships, most recently as a Software Engineering Intern at Workiva. Previously, he worked as a Software Engineer Intern at MidAmerican Energy, as well as an IT Intern at the Iowa Department of Transportation. "I arrived at college as an undeclared engineering student, I had no intention of studying CS. That changed second semester when my brother convinced me to take Computer Science I. The class was difficult, but it was the most rewarding class I had taken in my life up to that point in either college or high school."

Ethan Stierman —Jason and Leslie Weber Emerging Technologies Scholarship

"I am honored to be selected as a recipient of the Jason and Leslie Weber Emerging Technologies Scholarship. Their generous support will allow me to dedicate more time to my software engineering internship, hands-on projects, and research opportunities here at the University of Iowa. I am sincerely grateful for their investment in my education and future."

Ethan has completed two internships during his time at UIowa: this summer at Workiva as a Software Engineer Intern, and last summer at Principal Financial Group as a Software Engineer Intern. "Long term, I want to build software at the intersection of AI and real-world problems, whether that's in industry or eventually in a graduate research context."

Other Awards to Note:

Read recent stories about two graduate students receiving awards during this scholarship cycle: