The NBT Foundation awards scholarships twice a year, with the help of numerous donors and volunteers, to support students in their pursuit of manufacturing careers. Scholarships remain an effective short-term tool to help train and prepare students with the skill sets desperately needed by manufacturing employers today.

We recently caught up with four 2018 scholarship recipients to learn about their educational journey, where they are in their manufacturing career path, and how the scholarship award impacted them. Read their inspirational stories below.

Erin Beaver
Welding and Fabrication Engineering Technology
Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

“As a student at Pennsylvania College of Technology, I was awarded eight different scholarships. NBT was one of those, all of which helped tremendously in my pursuit to further my education in the welding and fabrication engineering technology major.

Not only did I earn my bachelor’s degree in this field and graduate a semester early, I also earned several medals in welding-related competitions and received the Penn College Welding Faculty Award for academic excellence. Today, I continue to perfect my craft and pursue my passion through welded metal sculpting and as a weld engineer at Harley-Davidson’s York [Penn.] Vehicle Operations.

In June 2019, I started my career at H-D as a co-op in the fabrication department. Soon after graduating, in December 2019, I was offered a full-time position at H-D York. I have been working there ever since and have been put in charge of overseeing the in-house cut and etch and macrographic measuring process for validating our weld quality. I also serve as a tactical engineer overseeing the frame weld fabrication.”

Aaron Miqueli
CNC Manufacturing Technology
Anoka Technical College, Anoka, Minnesota

“My major was CNC technology and I just started at Productivity Inc in Plymouth, Minnesota. I am in the tooling department as technical customer support. The scholarship [from NBT] helped me not worry as much about the financial needs while pursuing my degree. The award allowed me to keep my focus on school and spend more time learning; [it] allowed me to gain the knowledge needed for my position today.”

Mary Raway
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, Indiana

“I received the NBT scholarship while completing my associate degree in mechanical engineering technology at Ivy Tech Community College. After receiving my degree, I transferred to Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) to complete my bachelor’s degree in the same major, which I plan to receive in May of this year.

The NBT scholarship helped me to complete my associate degree debt-free, which in turn opened up my options for being financially able to complete my bachelor’s [degree]. I really love my field of study and am extremely grateful to continue learning at a higher level. Thank you for the support you have given me in my schooling. I deeply appreciate it.”

Niles Walter
Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Klamath Community College, Klamath Falls, Oregon

“I’m still in school, having transferred to Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT), a four-year university, after graduating from Klamath Community College with my associate degree in advanced manufacturing. I’ve been employed as a lab assistant at [OIT] using the skills I learned from my community college.

As a machining lab assistant, I teach students about both conventional and CNC machining processes using a variety of equipment, as well as assist senior students with manufacturing design and production of their school projects.

A typical day can involve anything from helping a freshman turn his very first part on an engine lathe that he’s never touched before… to fabricating special off-axis part and tool jigs for the bizarrely shaped components [used by] our school’s Formula racing team. Every day has had a different challenge in store, and I am loving it!

The NBT scholarship I received while I was at Klamath Community College helped me focus fully on my schoolwork and [encouraged me to] get the best grades I could get. I attribute the help I received from NBT, at least partially, with my acceptance into my four-year university transfer school of choice.”

Congratulations to Aaron, Erin, Mary, and Niles on their accomplishments. With the support and generosity of our donors and members, NBT is honored to create opportunities that encourage these students and others like them to become tomorrow’s manufacturing workforce.

Since 1990, NBT has awarded over $1.1 million to 562 students who will or have already become the next generation of highly skilled manufacturing professionals. If you have been awarded an NBT Scholarship in the past and would like to share your story, please contact us!