A footlocker with his face and name imprinted and full of swag from Princeton University — and a check for $20,000 — greeted Aum Dhruv at his Fort Myers home Tuesday, courtesy of Florida Power & Light to celebrate the recent Fort Myers High School graduate's winning of the company's FIRST Robotics Scholarship.
FIRST -- For Inspiration & Recognition of Science & Technology -- scholarships reward students whose experience inspired their interest in an engineering or information management career.
Aum, 18, who was selected for his work as an award-winning, multi-time inventor, was undeniably happy about the award.
“Princeton is not a cheap school to go to, but its educational benefits definitely pay off, and through this scholarship I’m able to do that.”
Aum will attend the Ivy League research university in New Jersey this fall to study engineering.
The FPL award was just one of several he has collected this year.
Earlier he earned the Scholar Award at the Southwest Florida High School Sports Awards, presented by Babcock Ranch.
Dhruv, also a three-time swimming regional qualifier for the Fort Myers Green Wave, wrapped up his high school education with a 6.95 weighted GPA.
His list of honors includes: first place in the FIRST Global Innovation Awards, in the Invention Convention Nationals and in Beta Nationals agri-science; 4-time Invention Convention National Finalist and winner of the National Environmental and Social impact Award; first place winner at DECA states, HOSA states, Beta states math, Beta state agri-science and Beta states biomedical Health Science.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
