Alex Dwyer gets ready to attend DeVry University in Phoenix, where the 18-year-old will add to his long interest in flight and computers.

Greg Bryan / Arizona Daily Star

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When Alex Dwyer was a child, he was intrigued by military fighter aircraft and computers.

Dwyer, 18, will get to pursue both interests after receiving a $64,000 Presidential Scholarship from DeVry University in Phoenix.

The Sabino High School graduate will study game and simulation programming and pursue a career working in flight simulation.

The Presidential award is given to 48 incoming students nationwide. The university has campuses in 24 states.

Dwyer had been awarded $1,500 for the university's Dean's Scholarship, which gives students up to $13,500. Dean's Scholarship recipients are eligible for the Presidential award, he said.

Once Dwyer received the Presidential Scholarship, that award canceled out the smaller scholarship, he said.

"It was a big surprise," Dwyer said. "I called my parents and both of them didn't believe me."

He had to write an essay, get a written recommendation from a teacher and score above 1100 on his SAT exam to compete for the Presidential Scholarship.

Dwyer will be the only Arizona resident and one of two students at the university's Phoenix campus to receive the award, said university spokesman Dan Dement.

Dwyer originally set his sights on becoming an Air Force pilot, but he can't go into that program because he has asthma. He also considered joining the Army ROTC program at the University of Arizona to become a helicopter pilot, he said.

Dwyer's love for the military came from his grandfather, who would tell him stories about the Korean War, said his mother, Cyndi Dwyer. Her son is very patriotic and supportive of his country, she said.

During his freshman and sophomore years in high school, Dwyer developed an interest in computers. He wrote programs for his calculus calculator that would allow him to complete his equations faster, he said.

"I always wanted to do something with aircraft and then I got into computers," he said. "I still follow the development of aircraft."

The scholarship will only cover tuition at the university, which can range from $6,450 to $6,850 per semester for students who take 12 credits. The cost per credit hour ranges from $490 to $520, Dement said.

Dwyer will start college Monday.He said his program will take less than three years to complete.

The university operates year-round, and most students take three semesters each year, Dement said.

The scholarship was one of the larger awards received by students in Dwyer's graduating class, said Matt Munger, an assistant principal at Sabino High School.

Munger said he gave Dwyer an unconditional endorsement in a letter of recommendation when he applied for the Presidential Scholarship.

He said of Dwyer: "He was always a very politically astute person. He was always open to discussions about politics, technology and future trends.

"He's the type of kid who makes teaching such a noble profession."