Awards Inspire Students Studying Manufacturing-related Disciplines


ELGIN, Ill., June 21, 2023 - A scholarship program started over 30 years ago by the foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International® (FMA), known as Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs® (NBT), has awarded more than $1.3 million to 720 students to encourage their pursuit of education and training pathways leading to manufacturing careers.

Thanks to generous donations and support from companies and organizations across the metal fabrication and manufacturing industry, 42 deserving students have received NBT scholarships for the upcoming 2023 fall semester.

2023 FALL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Rebecca Agaba, Long Beach, Calif., Welding Technology at Long Beach City College
Thomas Barker, IV, Kilgore, Texas, Elite Combined Structural/Pipe Program at Arkansas Elite Welding Academy
Jeremy Bergman, Middletown, Md., Mechanical Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Madelin Billings, Chesterton, Ind., Industrial Engineering at Purdue University
Brenton Bilyeu, Golden City, Mo., Precision Machining at State Technical College of Missouri
Kaitlyn Bush, Cincinnati, Mechanical Engineering at Miami University
Huneil Campbell, Coral Springs, Fla., Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Lance Carbaugh, Orbisonia, Pa., Welding Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Caden Cope, Georgetown, Del., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Thomas Craven, Rockford, Ill., Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Rock Valley College
Miguel Cruces, Long Beach, Calif., Welding Technology/Metal Fabrication Technology at Long Beach City College
Aydan Day, Lawrenceburg, Ind., Welding/Fabrication at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology
James DeRosa, Mint Hill, N.C., Welding Technology at Central Piedmont Community College
Tyler Dubien, York, Pa., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Micah Duke, Poway, Calif., Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State University
Kamden Edens, Lexington, Tenn., Electrical Engineering at Tennessee Technological University
Michael Fuccile, Conyngham, Pa., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Austin Hart, Lansing, N.C., Certified Pipe Welding at Kentucky Welding Institute
Charles Harter, IV, Lock Haven, Pa., Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Hezekiah Heard, Hot Springs, Ark., Welding at Southern Arkansas University Tech
Jedediah Hovey, Salem, Mo., Precision Machining Technology at State Technical College of Missouri
Asher Johnson, Rockford, Ill., Mechanical Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Elijah Johnson, Alpharetta, Ga., Structural Plate & Pipe Welding at Georgia Trade School
William Makovsky, Coplay, Pa., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Mackenzie Matheny, Belleville, Mich., Product Design Engineering Technology at Eastern Michigan University
Wyatt Meanix, Parkesburg, Pa., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Raahi Mehta, Schaumburg, Ill., Industrial Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Tyler Millard, Oregon, Wis., Mechanical Design Technology at Madison College
Cierra Miller, Dover, Pa., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Joel Mink, Florence, Ky., Aviation Maintenance Technology at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Michael Montilla, River Grove, Ill., Engineering Technology/Mechanical Design at Triton College
Nicholas Odle, Webster, N.Y., Electrical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology
Jose Orozco, Pacoima, Calif., Welding Technologies at College of the Canyons
Robert Ponder, Stone Mountain, Ga., Engineering Technology at Gwinnett Technical College
Cameron Quinn, Chesterfield, N.J., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Alec Rees, Centerport, N.Y., Manufacturing Engineering Technology & Metal Fabrication Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Brenten Rodgers, Floyds Knobs, Ind., Engineering Technology at Trine University
Connor Simmons, Fuquay Varina, N.C., Electrical Engineering at North Carolina State University
Richard Taylor, Hot Springs, Ark., Elite Structural Welding Program at Arkansas Elite Welding Academy
Jadon Uecker, Slinger, Wis., Tool & Die Technologies at Moraine Park Technical College
Haleyanne Walter, Delta, Pa., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Matthew Woolcock, Oil City, Pa., Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
"The most difficult jobs to fill today are those in the skilled trades," said Ed Dernulc, NBT Foundation director. "With majors in welding, mechanical engineering, machine tool technology, robotics and automation, metal fabrication technology, and other engineering fields, these students will be prepared for the careers and positions that American manufacturers are desperately looking to fill."

NBT saw a 50% increase in qualified applications for the 2023 fall semester, which indicates a rise in awareness and interest in manufacturing career options amongst high school graduates. Award recipients have strong overall GPAs with high grades in relevant coursework. Many have manufacturing work experience or have been involved in relevant extracurricular and/or community activities such as participating on a FIRST Robotics team. For more information, visit nbtfoundation.org/scholarships.

About NBT & FMA

Through its manufacturing camp and scholarship programs, Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs® (NBT) is inspiring the next generation of manufacturers, inventors, and entrepreneurs.

NBT is the foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.® (FMA). Founded in 1970, FMA is the leading educational association for the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industry.

CONTACT:
Cindy Day
cindyd@fmanet.org

SOURCE Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Int'l (FMA)