Matteo Scalise, a junior civil engineering student at George Mason University’s Honors College, received the Northrop Grumman Honors College Scholarship at the Spring Research Exhibition and Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2026.
The Northrop Grumman Honors College Scholarship was given for the first time this semester to recognize Scalise’s exceptional academic achievement and community involvement.
Scalise, who comes to George Mason from Loveland, Colorado, has a particular interest in water resources and anticipates graduating in December 2027 and expects to pursue an Accelerated Masters degree immediately after graduation. Scalise carries a 3.89 GPA while serving as a leader in the George Mason chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), helping run the chapter’s career fair, resume workshops, and career-interview programs.
Engineering is only half the picture. Scalise is in “college more for the sake of learning, rather than just getting a degree.” For Scalise, the Honors College’s value is exposure to perspectives they might not otherwise encounter. From the first semester of the Honors College, Scalise had an “absolutely eye-opening experience” discovering the worlds of research under the mentorship of faculty member Aimee Weinstein, while an Honors College class focused on disability gave him the chance to explore material that he would not have otherwise had the opportunity to learn about.
Scalise plays trombone in both the Wind Symphony and the Symphony Orchestra, currently as principal chair, and has been in both top ensembles since their first year. Where others might see only distinctions, Scalise sees connections between music and the kinds of collaboration required of today’s engineers: “Playing in an ensemble [is] just, like, looking over to your partner and saying, how are you playing this? What note do you have? And then adjusting yourself to fit their sound,” Scalise said. “It’s given me a lot of team experience.”
Beyond engineering and music, Scalise also has a strong record of service. After serving in a leadership role with the campus chapter of Circle K International (CKI) as Sophomore, Scalise has continued to do service as part of the ASCE. This built on Scalise’s service during high school, when Scalise was heavily involved with KidsPak, a weekend meal program for students who otherwise lacked reliable food access.
As an out-of-state student, Scalise said the scholarship will give space to “focus energies fully on school and the activities that I’m doing.”