Kashkaris establish scholarship for female engineering students

Drs. Chaman and Sheila Kashkari built outstanding professional careers in engineering and medicine. Now retired, the couple could easily relax and reflect on their accomplishments. Instead, the Kashkaris, natives of India who came to the United States in the 1960s, chose another way, leaning again on their penchant for shaping the future and changing the lives of others.

The Kashkaris established The Drs. Chaman N. and Sheila Kashkari Family Scholarship for Women in Electrical Engineering at The University of Akron. The award is open to female undergraduate electrical engineering students who carry 3.0 GPAs or higher and demonstrate exceptional work ethic and outstanding leadership in the classroom and community.

Chaman Kashkari taught engineering at UA from 1969 to 1994 and retired as an emeritus associate professor of electrical engineering. He devoted his research career to using technologies that provide water and energy to villages in Africa, India, and Nepal. In recognition of his efforts to alleviate world hunger, he received the U.S. Presidential End Hunger Award at the White House in 1990 from President George H.W. Bush.

During his career, Chaman says he always was challenged by his students’ intellect, particularly female students who, he believed, were most accustomed to juggling the demands of family and work life. “I always had to work hard to be prepared to answer their difficult questions, which, I think, is a tribute to them,” he said.

Sheila Kashkari shares her husband’s interest in opening doors for students to achieve success. After earning a medical degree in India, she passed the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and completed her residency in Detroit. She was a pathologist at Akron City Hospital until 2001 and still works professionally with Quest Diagnostics.

The Kashkaris believe the future will be dominated by waves of outstanding professional female engineering talent and want to support a global movement to train thousands of female engineers for new jobs in industry.

Alissa McGill, a recipient of the Kashkari scholarship, is grateful to the Kashkaris for their help. In 2014, she had a co-op experience with BGI in Akron, where she learned about scripting and creating automated tests for flight visualization.

“Without (their help) I’m not sure I would be able to experience all the wonderful opportunities The University of Akron has to offer,” McGill said. “This scholarship will allow me to continue to try new things and develop my skills so that one day I can become a successful engineer.”