Celebrating Scholarship Winners

Get to know the 15 students who received $2,000 scholarships from MPMA and our partners.

	Catelin: Sunbelt & True North Scholarship Last year, I was looking to start a career and was interested in welding. I took a semester of classes and decided I liked it, but I wasn't sure I wanted to do it all the time. I ended up getting a job at Wilson Tool International doing laser etching and haven’t looked back. My goal is to get on a machine after a year of schooling and be able to learn on the job while also going through my second year of school.
	Noah: Marianne Thielen Scholarship I became interested in manufacturing because of my grandpa and three uncles who are machinists. After touring Alex Tech, I dove into machining head-first by working part- time at my uncle’s shop and starting my first year in the program during my senior year of high school. I see myself finishing my second year of the program and starting full time at my uncle’s shop as a CNC Machinist where I will program, set up, and run all my own parts.
	Chue: Waffensmith Family Omnitool Fund Scholarship I've always had an interest in how things are made and the extensive processes in creating a functioning part from raw material. I am currently attending both Anoka Technical College for the AAS in Quality Technician and Applied Engineering at Bemidji State University. I hope to grow and learn the engineering aspect of manufacturing in ensuring quality parts for customers. In the future, I’d like to give back by teaching at a college.
	Mason: Waffensmith Family Omnitool Fund Scholarship I love spending time outside, playing football, baseball, and hunting, fishing, and camping throughout my time in school. I began working with my dad at Mold Tech when I turned 16 and really enjoyed it. I plan to attend Alexandria Tech next fall for their two-year Machine and Tool program. My long-term plan is to continue working in the machining field after graduation.
	Alicia: MPMA Education Foundation Scholarship I am a rising junior at The University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship. My career aspirations lie in engineering within medical device manufacturing, driven by a desire to increase the quality of life for others. My mom owns Mold-Tech Inc., a precision injection mold shop where approximately 80% of their molds support medical devices. After working here part- time for four years, I have seen first-hand the precision and hard work that goes into designing and building these molds.
	Lars: Waffensmith Family Omnitool Fund Scholarship Growing up, I always enjoyed spending time in my dad’s shop making things, whether useful or not. He got me interested in machining by spending time with him in the shop and showing me the possibilities of machining. This coming year will be my second studying machine tool technology at Alexandria Technical College. In twenty years, I would like to own a small machine shop.
	Ethan: Sunbelt & True North Scholarship I grew up in the country where I enjoy riding snowmobiles and four wheelers and shooting archery. My interest in manufacturing came from working at a local company where I gained experience in machining, leading me to pursue a degree in Machine Tool Technology at Alexandria Technical and Community College. I hope to see myself down the road enjoying my career as a machinist learning new technology and advanced knowledge in new techniques of the trade.
	Mason: MPMA Education Foundation Scholarship Growing up, I was unsure of a career path, but my brother-in-law introduced me to machining at Graco, which led me back to school. I am currently working full-time at Graco, and I am transitioning from a role of assembler to machinist intern as I progress through my coursework. After graduation, I plan to begin my career as a machinist at the company. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, including my niece and nephews.
	Nathan: MPMA Education Foundation Scholarship My dad is a residential re-modeler, so I've grown up making and fixing things with my hands. In high school, I decided to pursue a career in the STEM field, but ideally in a more hands-on manner than a standard engineering route. I chose to enroll in the machining program at Dunwoody, because I believed that this trade gave me that opportunity. In my free time, I enjoy riding mountain bikes, playing Ultimate Frisbee, and maintaining my well-worn F-150.