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SMI Scholarship Program Surpasses $300,000 in Awards
By Gary McCoy
The SMI Scholarship program is now in its 11th year and has cumulatively awarded $310,00 in financial aid. This year $23,000 in scholarship awards were granted to 10 students among a pool of applicants from SMI’s members in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“SMI appreciates the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the 10 students who received awards in our 2021 scholarship program,” said SMI president Bert Goering. “As an association we highly value the impact that higher education can have upon on the sons and daughters of our member companies. Our program is designed to be a tangible benefit that can help students make their dreams of a higher education become a reality.”
To be eligible for an SMI scholarship, award winners must be a full-time employee or a dependent child of a full-time employee who works for an SMI member company.
For 2021, SMI awarded five regional scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each. In addition, five at-large scholarships were also selected: • Ronald and Adrienne Banas Scholarship, $5,000 • International Spring Scholarship, $4,000 awarded to two students in the amount of $2,000 each • Callaghan-Hart Scholarship, $2,000 • Albert H. Goering Memorial Scholarship, $2,000
SMI member companies will be sent information for the 2022 scholarship program in the fall, via mail, email and SMI’s website, www.smihq.org.
2021 Regional Scholarships
U.S.
Magdalena Chwieralski
Hometown: Niles, Illinois SMI Member Parent: Zbigniew Chwieralski, Stanley Spring and Stamping Attending: Adler University, Chicago Major: Clinical Mental Health
Sydney Cusick
Hometown: San Luis Obispo, California SMI Member Parent: William Cusick, MW Industries, Inc. Heli-Cal Products Attending: University of California: Davis, Davis, California Major: Animal Science
Jaclyn Buttafuoco
Hometown: Schaumburg, Illinois SMI Member Parent: Michael Buttafuoco, Keats Manufacturing Company Attending: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Kansas City, Missouri Major: Biomedical Sciences
Anna Gruchala
Hometown: Clarendon Hills, Illinois SMI Member Parent: Grzegorz Gruchala, Sterling Spring Attending: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Major: Mechanical Engineering
Canada
Saumya Mathur
Hometown: Pickering, Ontario SMI Member Parent: Rajiv Mathur, Bohne Spring Industries Ltd. Attending: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Major: Comparative Physiology, Neuroscience, Chemistry Attending: Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut Major: Elementary Education
Scholarship Recipients Say Thanks
Here are excerpts from correspondence sent to SMI by this year’s scholarship recipients to express their gratitude.
“I would like to send my sincere appreciation for being selected for a $2,000 scholarship. I am incredibly honored. This award means so much to me as it allows my academic journey to continue here at UC Davis, with less financial stress on myself and my family. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity, as I will be able to pursue my career goals with your support.
It has been my dream to someday become a veterinarian, but the path toward this career is costly. However, this award has made this dream of mine appear all the more possible. As I continue my educational career, I will remain forever thankful for receiving this financial support. I assure you that these funds will be used responsibly and with immense gratitude. Thank you once again for your generosity and support.
Sydney Cusick
“I was recently notified that I have been selected as the awardee for a $2,000 SMI scholarship. I would like to sincerely thank you for awarding me this scholarship. My father, an employee of an SMI member company, informed me that this was the first time that someone’s dependent from his location was awarded this scholarship which is incredibly exciting!
Saumya Mathur
“I am sincerely honored to have been selected as the recipient of the Ronald and Adrienne Banas scholarship. I plan on using this to pay for my tuition at Kettering University, where I am pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in innovation and entrepreneurship. Your generous donation has afforded me with the opportunity to focus more on my studies and less on how I am going to pay for them. I can’t thank you enough for your generosity.
Kelsie McManus
“I wanted to thank you and everyone at SMI for awarding me with this scholarship. It is going to help me a lot of and I am very grateful for this opportunity!
Lily Shane
2021 At-Large Scholarships
Albert H. Goering Memorial Scholarship
Leah Pennington
Hometown: Randolph, Mississippi SMI Member Parent: Christy Pennington, MW Industries Inc. Pontotoc Spring Attending: Itawamba Community College, Fulton, Mississippi Major: Secondary Education
Callaghan-Hart Scholarship
Tomasz Gruchala
Hometown: Clarendon Hills, Illinois SMI Member Parent: Grzegorz Gruchala, Sterling Spring Attending: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago Major: Medicine
International Spring Scholarship
Lily Shane
Hometown: Dallas, Texas SMI Member Parent: Aki Shane, Newcomb Spring of Texas Attending: Undecided Major: Film Production
International Spring Scholarship
Carrie Lefeber
Hometown: Van Dyne, Wisconsin SMI Member Parent: Christine Lefeber, Spiros Industries Attending: University of WisconsinPlatteville, Platteville, Wisconsin Major: Mechanical Engineering
Ronald and Adrienne Banas Scholarship
Kelsie McManus
Hometown: Grand Haven, Mi SMI Member Parent: John McManus, Motion Dynamics Corporation Attending: Kettering University, Flint, Michigan Major: Mechanical Engineering
