Scholarships

The Krenicki Arts & Engineering Scholarships seek to promote creative collaborations between the arts and engineering fields, and are made possible by the generosity of alumni John Krenicki (Mechanical Engineering) and Donna Krenicki (Graphic Design).

Four scholarships will be awarded each academic year – two for students in the School of Engineering and two for students in the School of Fine Arts. Each Krenicki Scholar will receive a scholarship of $5000. In addition, they will form a cohort that will meet on a regular basis to discuss their academic and creative work, and participate in activities centered in the Krenicki Arts & Engineering Institute, including workshops, visiting speakers, and other events.

Who Can Apply

Applications are invited from current UConn undergraduate students pursuing majors in either the School of Engineering or the School of Fine Arts who currently have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. Applicants should be able to demonstrate existing interests in both engineering and the arts, broadly defined, and a desire to explore this intersection further .

How to Apply

Use this link to apply to the Krenicki Arts and Engineering Scholarship Click here to Apply

Applications are due Friday, January 31st, 2024

Questions about the application process should be directed to the Paul Spirito paul.spirito@uconn.edu

John Roderick Cervantes Jr.

John Roderick Cervantes Jr. is an Honors undergraduate student at UConn pursuing a dual degree in Computer Science and Engineering and Digital Media and Design. He has a passion for coding, digital arts, and video game development, and has worked as a graphic designer for the school’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. He has released games such as the horror visual novel “Stargaze” and the platformer “Bomb Blast” on itch.io. He is inspired to continue weaving innovative, immersive, and interactive stories at the intersection of computer science and game design.

Katya Ionkin

Katya is a senior Mechanical Engineering student who uses creativity as a tool to enhance her academic and personal projects. She primarily completes projects in the Innovation Zone, where she is a Makerspace Manager and leads the development of the Emerging Tech Center for robotics and game theory. Her passion for robotics and educating others has led her to volunteer as a First Lego League mentor and join the Board of Directors of the student-led Tolland County Robotics Foundation. In her free time on campus, she enjoys using the makerspace to sew and alter clothing for herself and her friends. She is also passionate about 3D printing, and works as a 3D Printing Lab Technician for the College of Engineering while also designing prototypes and models with CAD. Katya is a research assistant under the Institute of Materials Science, researching soft robotics and innovative waterproofing methods for electronics. She is incredibly honored to be selected as a Krenicki Scholar, as her creative hobbies keep her passionate, energetic and thinking innovatively about engineering problems.

Matthew Marczak

Matthew Marczak is a Sophomore studying Electrical Engineering with minors in Entertainment Engineering & Mathematics. He is an active member of the honors program as well as a STEM Scholar. He started his journey in the Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute through his Entertainment Engineering minor. Currently, he is an Entertainment/Electronics Engineer at an escape room called Mind Factory Escape Games. His roles include game design, circuit design, puzzle design, innovation, technical troubleshooting, and merging the arts and engineering together to create immersive experiences. Recently, he has been working on a Kabuki Drop device with the faculty of the Krenicki Institute. As well as working with the School of Engineering to open an escape room company on campus that is run and operated by students for students. He is honored to be a recipient of the Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute's scholarship and will continue to pursue ways of combining arts and engineering.

Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute

Who Can Apply

How to Apply

Our Current Scholars

John Roderick Cervantes Jr.

Katya Ionkin

Matthew Marczak

Past Scholars