SMART and going places

Michael Gerbitz ’27 has charted an ambitious course from the Navy to Lenoir-Rhyne University, and now he has landed one of the most competitive scholarships in the country. A computer science major with a concentration in cybersecurity, Gerbitz is the first LR student to be awarded the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The SMART Scholarship provides full tuition, a generous annual stipend, summer internships and—perhaps most notably—a guaranteed job with the Department of Defense after graduation. Any student at an accredited institution in the United States can apply, making the award highly competitive.

“It’s one of the best opportunities available,” Gerbitz said. “It does everything. It’s an academic scholarship. It covers living expenses. It gives you work experience and a career path. The prestige and distinction of the SMART Scholarship gives you a competitive advantage through your whole career.”

For Gerbitz, that path will lead him back to the Navy, where he served two years of his enlistment on the crew of the USS Anzio maintaining weapons systems. His goal at Lenoir-Rhyne is to obtain the knowledge and credentials to return in a computer science role. “This was always my career plan,” he said. “The SMART Scholarship will give me more flexibility and more opportunities for growth and progress.”

As part of the program, Gerbitz will complete a summer internship with a Department of Defense facility that aligns with his skills and career goals. “You submit a list of five locations you’d like to work, and most people are assigned one of those preferences,” he explained. “I’ll be going to Norfolk, Virginia to work in computer science and cybersecurity for the Navy. This internship was my number one pick, which is amazing.”

While any university student can apply for the SMART scholarship, Gerbitz’s prior military service likely helped him stand out in both the application and internship placement process. “The interviewers liked that I have experience as a sailor, so I know how the ships work. I know how to communicate with sailors,” he said. “I’m always thinking about how my accomplishments represent me, my crew mates from the Anzio and the Navy overall. I want that representation to be positive.”

Service experience alone wasn’t enough to earn the SMART Scholarship. The process is rigorous, with a timeline that spans nearly a year. Gerbitz submitted his application in August 2024, was notified in December that he was under consideration. He interviewed at two facilities in early spring and received final confirmation in April. He completed onboarding in May and will attend further briefings in July.

Gerbitz had applied for the scholarship once before and nearly didn’t try again. This time around, he made sure to showcase the full range of his LR experience.

“I’ve developed real-world technical expertise with the rocket team,” he said. “This year I’ve served as build team lead, which means I make sure the rocket is assembled correctly and safely – and that it returns to earth in one piece when we go to the International Rocket Engineering Competition in June.” He also highlighted his leadership in Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, which he credits with helping him grow and stay focused on his goals.

Along the way, he built strong relationships with professors who provided critical recommendations, helping Gerbitz demonstrate both the academic excellence and personal character the SMART Scholarship demands.

“I feel like I’ve outdone myself, reaching a level of success I hadn’t expected,” he said. “Because I had done the application before, I knew how to do the process right the second time — the only mistake is not learning from your mistakes.”