The MPMA Education Foundation is a 501c3 public charity formed to address the shortage of people entering the manufacturing field by supporting students, school technical programs, and educational institutions. The Foundation has two main initiatives:
The Foundation supports both new and current students enrolled in manufacturing programs.
Each year, the Education Foundation offers scholarships to help motivated students with an interest in manufacturing get the training they need to become successful in the field.
This year, the Education Foundation will award scholarships of up to $2,000 per student.
A special thank you to our major donors that make the following MPMA Education Foundation Scholarships possible:
Applications are due by May 15.
By making a donation to the Foundation, you are making a significant contribution to ensuring a strong and sustainable workforce for the future.
You can donate online or call us at 952-564-3041 for other donation options.
Our scholarships are open to students of any age entering or already attending manufacturing-related programs. Application review is a competitive process, with points awarded for experience in the industry, community involvement, and how closely the studies are related to skilled trades.
Yes, our scholarship program is open to students who are already enrolled in a manufacturing program at a Minnesotan college, university, or trade school. However, please note that scholarships are not applied retroactively – you will need to still be an active student on the date of our application deadline to apply.
If you are attending school in Minnesota, you are eligible to apply. You do not need to be a Minnesota resident.
If you are an international student interested in a scholarship, please contact our office at 952-564-3041 to determine eligibility.
Yes -- our scholarships are available to students attending school outside of Minnesota, but with the intent to work in Minnesota.
There are no GPA requirements to apply, nor are you required to maintain a GPA average to receive the scholarship.
No! All you have to do is submit the application to be considered.
We award scholarships of up to $2,000 for qualified students.
If you would like to support the Education Foundation so we can continue to support students, we have several ways of charitable giving.
Donating to the Foundation helps ensure a strong and viable workforce for the future. Your support has a direct impact on the future of precision manufacturing in the state of Minnesota. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity. Donations may be tax deductible. Consult your tax advisor. Our Federal Tax ID number is 41-1889792.
You can donate online or call us at 952-564-3041 for other donation options.
As you are planning your estate, please consider making the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association Education Foundation part of your legacy. By doing so, you join in MPMA’s mission of advocating, training, and securing a strong manufacturing industry for future generations. For more details or to start a conversation about how your gift could help, please reach out to MPMA’s President and CEO Steve Kalina at 952-564-3041 or steve@mpma.com.
Each September, MPMA members come together for the MPMA Education Foundation's Annual Shoot for Scholarships program at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club in Prior Lake.
There are also a variety of sponsorship opportunities including: Station Sponsor, Gun Board Sponsor, Shell Sponsor, On-Course Beverage Sponsor, Cocktail Sponsor and Lunch Sponsor.
Growing up in Winona, MN, Brad observed his dad’s commitment to innovation and design in his role at Badger Equipment. This example gave him an appreciation for the process of identifying a problem and finding a solution to meet it, especially as it related to cars. Brad enrolled at Winona Southeast Technical College in 2011 and soon received his Auto Body Collision certification. Over the years he’s worked several manufacturing jobs and has grown familiar with welding and hand-crafted metals, as well as CNC machines. At the age of 28, Brad decided to go back to school to get his Associate’s degree at Winona Southeast Technical College in Computer-Aided Design. Currently, he works for Wicka Concrete as a Concrete Laborer and Finisher and enjoys the daily opportunity to become a more versatile worker while increasing his knowledge of the building process.
Max was inspired to join the manufacturing industry by his grandfather who was a welder. “It wasn’t really a class that was a defining moment for my career, but it was a teacher. My high school shop teacher Mr. Danielson told me about Mold-Tech and their apprenticeship program.” Max is most excited to learn CNC programming, as he believes those are the most marketable skills to have as a machinist.
As an upcoming college student from Andover High School who has spent the past year as a veterinary hospital kennel assistant, Mena has a wide range of ideas and big plans for her career path. Both of Mena’s parents work in the trades, so her interest to carry on in the same area of work was sparked at an early age. When Mena reached middle school and high school, she found a passion for manufacturing through programs such as shop class, tinkering class, and programming. These programs led her to the machining program at Hennepin Technical College, where she plans to finish her degree and start her career path. And in the midst of it all, she will continue to utilize her skills in American Sign Language and pursue a license to become an official American Sign Language Interpreter.
Emily learned about welding at the Boy Scouts National Jamboree in 2017 and immediately fell in love. She is wrapping up the welding program at Dunwoody, where her instructors say she is one of the most dedicated, hard-working students. What makes Emily even more unique in our industry is that she is on the Autistic Spectrum. “Dunwoody is helping me find a career that works well with my learning styles.” Emily was one of the top-scoring candidates to win an MPMA scholarship this year. She is interested in continuing to build her skillsets by learning machining next.
Growing up in Winona, MN, Brad observed his dad’s commitment to innovation and design in his role at Badger Equipment. This example gave him an appreciation for the process of identifying a problem and finding a solution to meet it, especially as it related to cars. Brad enrolled at Winona Southeast Technical College in 2011 and soon received his Auto Body Collision certification. Over the years he’s worked several manufacturing jobs and has grown familiar with welding and hand-crafted metals, as well as CNC machines. At the age of 28, Brad decided to go back to school to get his Associate’s degree at Winona Southeast Technical College in Computer-Aided Design. Currently, he works for Wicka Concrete as a Concrete Laborer and Finisher and enjoys the daily opportunity to become a more versatile worker while increasing his knowledge of the building process.
Max was inspired to join the manufacturing industry by his grandfather who was a welder. “It wasn’t really a class that was a defining moment for my career, but it was a teacher. My high school shop teacher Mr. Danielson told me about Mold-Tech and their apprenticeship program.” Max is most excited to learn CNC programming, as he believes those are the most marketable skills to have as a machinist.
As an upcoming college student from Andover High School who has spent the past year as a veterinary hospital kennel assistant, Mena has a wide range of ideas and big plans for her career path. Both of Mena’s parents work in the trades, so her interest to carry on in the same area of work was sparked at an early age. When Mena reached middle school and high school, she found a passion for manufacturing through programs such as shop class, tinkering class, and programming. These programs led her to the machining program at Hennepin Technical College, where she plans to finish her degree and start her career path. And in the midst of it all, she will continue to utilize her skills in American Sign Language and pursue a license to become an official American Sign Language Interpreter.
Emily learned about welding at the Boy Scouts National Jamboree in 2017 and immediately fell in love. She is wrapping up the welding program at Dunwoody, where her instructors say she is one of the most dedicated, hard-working students. What makes Emily even more unique in our industry is that she is on the Autistic Spectrum. “Dunwoody is helping me find a career that works well with my learning styles.” Emily was one of the top-scoring candidates to win an MPMA scholarship this year. She is interested in continuing to build her skillsets by learning machining next.
Growing up in Winona, MN, Brad observed his dad’s commitment to innovation and design in his role at Badger Equipment. This example gave him an appreciation for the process of identifying a problem and finding a solution to meet it, especially as it related to cars. Brad enrolled at Winona Southeast Technical College in 2011 and soon received his Auto Body Collision certification. Over the years he’s worked several manufacturing jobs and has grown familiar with welding and hand-crafted metals, as well as CNC machines. At the age of 28, Brad decided to go back to school to get his Associate’s degree at Winona Southeast Technical College in Computer-Aided Design. Currently, he works for Wicka Concrete as a Concrete Laborer and Finisher and enjoys the daily opportunity to become a more versatile worker while increasing his knowledge of the building process.
President: Chuck Olson, Maxcam
Vice President: Heidi Braun, Anoka Technical College
Secretary/Treasurer: Barb Dorumsgaard, NTM Inc.
Jesse Schelitzche, Imagineering Machine
Jasmine Nordstrom, Hutchinson Manufacturing Holdings LLC
Tom Smolenski, Steinwall Inc.
Alex Wong, Dunwoody College of Technology
Joe Schneider, MATE Precision
Liz Wauters, Colburn Manufacturing
Collin McGrath, Cass Precision Machining
