Five Pitt Electrical Engineering Students Receive IEEE PES Scholarships
Photo above (L - R): Jillian Zitcovich, Anthony Spadafore, and Joaquin Tristan (not pictured: Jack Wasco and Alexis Shafer)
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power & Energy Society (PES) has recognized five students from the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering with PES scholarships.
For the 2025 – 2026 year, the IEEE PES selected 244 PES Scholarship Plus recipients across the nine IEEE regions. In the Mid-Atlantic region, 18 scholarships were awarded, with five going to these Pitt engineering students:
- Alexis Shafer
- Anthony Spadafore
- Joaquin Tristan
- Jack Wasco
- Jillian Zitcovich
The PES Scholarship Plus Initiative awards promising students based on their excellent grades, engagement in and outside of the school, and passion for power and energy fields.
In addition to receiving as much as $10,000 in financial aid assistance, scholarship recipients can access mentoring with industry professionals as well as a free, one-year student membership for IEEE and IEEE PES.
“These scholarships speak to our students’ high quality of work and commitment to power and energy,” said Robert Kerestes, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the electrical engineering undergraduate program. “I’m extremely proud of Alexis, Anthony, Joaquin, Jack, and Jillian, who continue a tradition of Pitt students receiving IEEE PES scholarships.”
Since 2014, Swanson School students have received IEEE PES scholarships each year, including triple scholar Kaye Baron and the three Carnovale brothers, who IEEE PES profiled.