Stevens News

Two Stevens Students Awarded Prestigious Scholarship

The CME Group Foundation Scholarship Program provides up to $20,000 to students majoring in finance, technology or applied mathematics

As technology rapidly transforms how businesses operate, Stevens Institute of Technology is at the forefront of preparing students to meet the demands of our digital world.

Camila Crespo, a business and technology major, and Nataly Jimenez-Cruz, a computer science major, are two exceptional examples of this. The pair were recently awarded scholarships from the CME Group Foundation. The scholarship program focuses on supporting college sophomores, juniors and seniors majoring in finance, technology or applied mathematics with a renewable scholarship of up to $20,000 per year to assist them in completing their degree.

An Aligned Mission

The CME Group Foundation was established by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Trust, the largest foundation exchange in the world and a prime example of a key financial institution that successfully navigated a shifting industry. Committed to empowering today’s students through an education that will help them to meet tomorrow’s challenges, the Foundation’s mission is aligned with Stevens’ own.

This partnership began in 2017 through the Hanlon Financial Systems Center’s SHiFT project. As the relationship developed and the Foundation launched its scholarship program in 2019 focused on finance and tech, Stevens was a natural partner to join a small group of partner organizations and is notably the only partner [BG1] institution outside the Chicago metro area to be involved.

Since the launch of the scholarship, more than $3 million in aid has been awarded to 87 talented college students.

Pursuing Dreams

Headshots of Camila Crespo (Left) and Nataly Jimenez-Cruz (Right)The aid students receive from the scholarship helps recipients like Camila and Nataly focus on pursuing their studies and dreams.

“It has relieved the financial burden that often comes along with pursuing post-secondary education and has given me the opportunity to graduate debt-free,” explains Camila.

In addition to the financial aid, she also has built a professional network within the Foundation, offering her mentorship and support as she works on her degree. “It has given me the confidence to achieve success in my career and grow as a person,” she says.

For Nataly, the scholarship is also eroding financial constraints and allowing her to focus on becoming a machine learning engineer who uses technology to help others. “As a first-generation American, this scholarship has reminded me that my hard work is recognized.”

Related Stories

Six people pose together in a bright room with large windows overlooking a waterway. The group includes a woman in a blue dress, a woman in a floral skirt and white top, a woman in business attire, a man in a suit and tie, and two women in summer dresses.
July 08, 2026
Pratiksha Parsewar Named 2026 David Belanger Fellowship Award Winner
July 07, 2026
Associate Professor Ying Wang’s $1.19M DARPA Award Could Help Make AI More Energy Efficient
July 07, 2026
Game on: Brad Miller ’06 M.Eng. ’08 Sets up NJDOT to Score High-Tech Traffic Solutions for the World Cup
June 23, 2026
Did Two Historical New York and New Jersey Hurricanes Trigger Tsunamis? Stevens Scientists Unravel a Mystery and Future Threat of Flooding
All Stevens News

Stevens News

Three young alumni outside on Stevens campus at Alumni Weekend 2026
June 12, 2026
Stevens Celebrates Alumni Weekend 2026
June 16, 2026
Stevens Professor Dibyendu "Dibs" Sarkar Receives Fulbright Specialist Award for Environmental Remediation Project in India
May 13, 2026
Engineering the Future of Our Oceans
June 11, 2026
Every Gift Tells A Story: Mary VanLeer M.Eng. ’12
All Stevens News