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By Kelsey Kendall

An ����԰��Ƶ sophomore majoring in electrical engineering technology, Shelby Murphy, has been recognized by SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization that aims to support service members in the armed forces and veterans, with a scholarship to help her reach her academic and professional goals.

A Fire Controlman Petty Officer Second Class in the U.S. Navy stationed in Seattle when she was honorably discharged, Shelby chose to pursue her college education at ����԰��Ƶ because of its robust academics within the Batten College of Engineering and Technology. 

The electrical engineering technology program’s ABET accreditation, an international recognition for college STEM programs, was among the primary reasons she chose ����԰��Ƶ, along with the supportive military community. 

“The transition from military service to being a college student was a lot easier than I expected because of the community here,” Shelby said. “I was able to find people I could rely on, study groups I could grow with and a place that really feels like home.”

The University’s Military Connection Center demystified the transition from military life to civilian life. The staff provided guidance with paperwork and ensured everything was in order for her to start school. 

Through the Batten College of Engineering and Technology, Shelby has found supportive peers and professors who engaged with her in study groups and hands-on learning opportunities at the start of her college journey. This semester, she is gaining experience as an assistant for a computer programming class. Her goal is to not just be engaged in her coursework, but to excel, so she intends to make the Dean’s List every semester, an honor for full-time students who achieve at least a 3.40 grade point average. 

“The transition from military service to being a college student was a lot easier than I expected because of the community here,” said Shelby Murphy, sophomore in electrical engineering technology. “I was able to find people I could rely on, study groups I could grow with and a place that really feels like home.”

With the approximately $3,000 scholarship from SoldierStrong, Shelby is able to continue focusing on her academic goals and thriving in the community she found at ����԰��Ƶ. 

“It’s important for me to not only get my degree, but to completely understand the course material,” Shelby said. “Now, ‘veteran’ holds a lot of weight, but ‘veteran’ and ‘college-educated’ together is a force to be reckoned with.” 

Shelby is not the only Monarch to have earned a SoldierStrong scholarship recently. Kathleen Higgins (B.S. ’25) was also a recipient before she graduated in Fall 2025, earning a degree in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in aerospace engineering.