MARK CUSS memorial sponsorship

In December 2006, a young, gifted unmanned vehicles engineer working with CDL Systems named Mark Cuss passed away after a courageous 22-month battle with cancer. Mark applied the same work ethic he demonstrated on the farm he grew up on to his schoolwork, especially in the math and science courses for which he had a particular aptitude. During his short time Mark made significant accomplishments both in his personal life and in his professional life.

For his final project, Mark joined a team that developed, tested, and demonstrated a fuzzy logic control system for an unmanned tractor. Combined with rudimentary obstacle avoidance, his project won the top prize in the 2000 DeVry Project Expo which was commercialized.

Scholarship Application Requirements
To qualify as an applicant, students must:

  • Be registered full-time in a post-secondary Canadian institution
  • Provide proof of academic accomplishment in the previous school year by maintaining a minimum of 75% average (or 85% average if the previous year was from a high school/secondary school)
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the unmanned systems industry by writing an essay describing their ‘vision for the unmanned systems industry’ (details, below)

To apply for the scholarship, applicants must:

  • Submit the Scholarship Application Form to by the application deadline.
  • Submit transcripts of the previous school year from a recognized Canadian high school/secondary school, university, college, or at a DeVry Institute located within Canada to [email protected] by the application deadline.
  • Submit proof of enrollment in a recognized Canadian University, college, or any DeVry Institute within Canada to [email protected] by the application deadline.
  • Submit an essay on any unmanned systems-related topic outlining their ‘Vision for the unmanned systems industry’ to [email protected] by the application deadline. Essays have no minimum length but cannot exceed 3000 words.

Student Awards Selection Process 

All applications will be reviewed and considered by the Awards and Honors Committee appointed by the Board of Aerial Evolution Association of Canada. The evaluation process shall treat academic marks and the essay with equal weight to determine the successful applicant.

To apply for the Mark Cuss Memorial Scholarship, please fill in the application form and supply all supporting documents to the Awards and Honors Committee at: [email protected].

application form

The Mark Cuss Memorial Scholarship winner will be informed by 11 Sept 2023, and will receive:

  • A $5000 cash contribution
  • A discounted rate to attend the annual Conference and Exhibition to receive their Award