Philip Reeves Selected as 2023-2024 IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Scholar Recipient

Austin Cook

From left, department head Jia Di and Philip Reeves.

Philip Reeves, an electrical engineering and computer science student, has been selected to be a 2023-24 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power and Energy Society's Scholarship Plus Scholar Recipient.

This scholarship program is aimed at supporting students pursuing the power and energy sector who exhibit high academic achievements and notable extracurricular commitments. Shanon Nason, PES senior administrator of awards at IEEE PES, shared the announcement, stating, "On behalf of the IEEE Power & Energy Society, I am pleased to inform you that Philip Reeves has been selected to receive a scholarship as part of the IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative."

Reeves said, "My initial reaction was rather that I was rather surprised! The deadline had come and gone, and I hadn't heard anything until several weeks later. I thought I hadn't received it but was pleasantly surprised whenever I got the email."

For Reeves, the scholarship represents more than just financial support; it validates his dedication to the power and energy field and underscores the significance of his past experiences.

"I think it came down to a couple of different things. Apart from the basic requirements, when I applied, I had a decent amount of credible industry experience. I feel like this proved to IEEE that I was serious about my future career path in the power industry, which was one of the requirements," Reeves said.

Reeves went into the power and energy field with uncertainty but quickly found his calling through practical experiences.

"I learned through my first internship that it was something I could see myself working with long term. The fact that I'm working to improve something so integral to our society is what keeps it interesting, as well as getting to see into the infrastructure that powers our country," he said.

Reeves encourages other students to embrace opportunities and leverage their experiences to advance their careers. Reeves said, "Having some good references from my previous internships was also helpful. I think anyone considering a field in power or energy should apply. It's always worth taking a chance."