AGMA thanks outgoing Trustees Tony Richey and R. Greg Estell. We appreciate your three years of service in helping the Foundation solidify the 4 pillars, improve our scholarship outreach, and more.
AGMA Foundation Grants $45,000 in Scholarships to Future Gear Industry Leaders
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alexandria, VA, September 10, 2024 – The AGMA Foundation Board of Trustees is excited to announce the awarding of $45,000 in scholarships to nine outstanding students pursuing careers in the gear industry. Each recipient will receive $5,000 to support their educational journey.
These scholarships are awarded annually to students at technical schools, and undergraduate and graduate levels dedicated to advancing their careers in the gear and power transmission sectors. This year’s recipients were selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of their academic performance, career aspirations within the gear industry, community involvement, and financial need. Applicants were required to submit a personal statement and two letters of recommendation alongside the application.
In addition to the general scholarships, the Foundation is proud to offer a special scholarship from Linda and Bipin Doshi Scholarship Endowment to Nolan Finfrock. Nolan, a Sophomore at Purdue University West Lafayette is pursuing dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Technology and is currently interning with Schafer Industries. The Doshi Scholarship Endowment, established in April 2018 with a $100,000 fund by Linda and Bipin Doshi, formerly of Schafer Industries, supports top applicants in the field.
This year six of the nine awardees have connections to AGMA member companies.
Undergraduate Scholars:
- Luis Arciniega is a Junior at Minnesota State University – Mankato. While pursuing his degree in Engineering with a mechanical focus, he is also employed by Croix Gear.
- Henry Aiden Ford, a Freshman at Purdue University, is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also has worked at ITAMCO.
- Faith Hyllberg, Senior at Grand Canyon University, is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She also has worked at Twin Disc in Racine, WI.
- Brandon Jahoor a Sophomore at the University of Waterloo, is pursuing a degree in Mechatronics. He also has an internship at ODG.
- Matthew Kolger a Senior at The Ohio University, is pursuing a degree in Aerospace Engineering.
- Michael Rinaldi a Freshman at Milligan University is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has ties to Artec Machine Systems.
- Tyler Stiger a Sophomore at Grace College is pursing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He interns at ITAMCO.
Graduate
- Enes Timur Ozdemir, a 4th year PhD student at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell is pursuing a Doctorate of Mechanical Engineering. His research interests are continuous and discrete modeling of linear and non-linear structural dynamics and vibrations of mechanical systems, electromechanical modeling of electric drive systems, and their interactions with power transmission components in electric vehicles.
The selection process for these scholarships was carried out by the AGMA Foundation Scholarship Committee, consisting of nine experienced professionals from the gear industry. Ruthie Johnston, AGMA Foundation Chair, expressed her gratitude, saying, “Our scholarship program aims to support students committed to advancing the gear industry. I extend my heartfelt thanks to each member of the Scholarship Committee for their dedication and time.”
Funding for the scholarships comes from the endowment and contributions from AGMA member companies and industry supporters. This initiative aligns with the Foundation’s mission to attract, educate, and advance talent in the power transmission industry.
The AGMA Foundation’s 2024 Annual Campaign is currently in progress. To make a donation, please visit www.agmafoundation.org.
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AGMA modernizes Online Workforce Training Series
The AGMA Foundation funded the original AGMA Online Workforce Training Series. AGMA has recently updated this series with new modernized content. The program remains free to any employee of an AGMA member company. It is a wonderful entry into the gear industry and the AGMA Foundation continues to strongly support this program. A link to the AGMA press release is below:
AGMA Foundation received 25 applications for 2024/2025 Scholarship Program
The American Gear Manufacturers Association Foundation (AGMA Foundation) Scholarship Program received 25 applications for the 2024, a 300% increase from 2023. Twenty-four applications came from undergraduates pursuing degrees in computer science, economics, mechanical, electrical, aerospace, and mechatronics engineering, and one application from a student pursuing a PhD in mechanical engineering.
During the next six weeks, the AGMA Foundation Scholarship Committee will determine the scholarship winners through an objective review process. Awardees are to be announced in early September 2024.
“We have had lower numbers of applications since covid,” stated Mary Ellen Doran, Executive Director, AGMA Foundation. “I am thrilled to see the numbers come back, and now we have the continued work of fundraising for donations to help all those qualifying applicants.”
In addition to the annual scholarships, the AGMA Foundation will be awarding one Doshi Scholarship this fall, made possible by an endowment provided by Bipin and Linda Doshi. The proceeds from the endowment and the additional donations from AGMA member companies and industry individuals are the sole source of funding for the scholarship program – the essential funding to students pursuing training in the power transmission industry.
The AGMA Foundation 2024 Annual Campaign is currently underway. Donations can be made through the website at www.agmafoundation.org. The scholarship awards fulfill the AGMA Foundation’s mission to recruit, educate, and keep the power transmission industry current with emerging technology.
AGMA Foundation Awards Scholarships for 2023-2024 School Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alexandria, VA, September 19, 2023 – The AGMA Foundation Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2023-2024 Scholarship awards. Each fall, the Foundation awards up to $5,000 scholarships at the Undergraduate and Graduate levels and has scholarships available at up to $2,500 at the Association or Technical school level. Applicants with work and/or research experience in the gear or power transmission industry receive preference for scholarship awards.
This year we are pleased to announce that three of the four awardees have direct ties to AGMA memberships.
Undergraduate
- Faith Hylberg, Grand Canyon University – An intern at Twin Disc
- Nolan Finfrock, Purdue University West Lafayette – An intern with Shafer Industries
Graduate
- Jian Cui, Northeastern University, P.R. China – an AGMA academic member
- Suhas Gupta Thunuguntla, Oakland University
The four recipients were chosen through a objective process designed by the AGMA Foundation Scholarship Committee. Seven seasoned gear industry veterans volunteered to review all of this year’s applications. “The purpose of our scholarship program is to award students who are specifically pursuing work in the gear industry,” said Mary Ellen Doran, AGMA Foundation Executive Director.
The proceeds from the endowment and donations from AGMA member companies and industry individuals are the sole source of funding for the scholarship program. The scholarship awards fulfill the Foundation’s mission to recruit, educate, and keep the power transmission industry current with emerging technology.
The AGMA Foundation 2023 Annual Campaign is currently underway. Donations can be made through the website at www.agmafoundation.org.
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AGMA Foundation awards five scholarships to undergraduate and graduate engineers pursuing futures in the gear industry
Alexandria, VA, October 6, 2022 – The AGMA Foundation Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2022 Scholarship awards. Each fall, the Foundation awards $5,000 scholarships at the Undergraduate and Graduate levels and has scholarships available at $2,500 at the Association or Technical school level. Applicants with work and/or research experience in the gear or power transmission industry receive preference for scholarship awards.
The 2022 AGMA Foundation Scholarship recipients with their school affiliations are:
Undergraduate
- Josh Biddle, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
- Hailey Yoon-Ha Devney, George Washington University
- Nicholas Wever, Kettering University
Graduate
- Abolfazl Hosseinpour, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Milad Azvar, University of Waterloo
The five recipients were chosen through a subjective process designed by the AGMA Foundation Scholarship Committee. Nine seasoned gear industry veterans volunteered to review all of this year’s applications. “The purpose of our scholarship program is to award students who are specifically pursuing work in the gear industry,” said Mary Ellen Doran, AGMA Foundation Executive Director.
The proceeds from the endowment and donations form AGMA member companies and industry individuals are the sole source of funding for the scholarship program. The scholarship awards fulfill the Foundation’s mission to recruit, educate, and keep the power transmission industry current with emerging technology.
The AGMA Foundation 2022 Annual Campaign is currently underway. Donations can be made through the website at www.agmafoundation.org.
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AGMA Foundation past Executive Director honored with AGMA Chairman’s Award
Cindy Bennett, Former Executive Director of the AGMA Foundation was honored with a Chairman’s Award at the recent AGMA/ABMA Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.
Cindy served as the AGMA Foundation’s Executive Director for 10 years, where she spent thousands of hours working for the betterment of the Foundation and the gear industry. Over her tenure, she coordinated the scholarship program that secured the most recent Linda & Bipin Doshi endowment, the ongoing annual meeting golf program, spearheaded the Get into Gears, Spin it Forward and Annual Fundraising Campaigns that have garnered hundreds of downloads and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars to help support AGMA initiatives, authored the 100th year AGMA anniversary book, and so much more.
AGMA Foundation welcomes four new trustees
The AGMA Foundation is proud to welcome new trustees. The following trustees will serve the Foundation for a term of 2022-2025:
- Zen Cichon
- Greg Estell, The Estell Group
- Tony Richey, Specialty Steel Treating
- Sara Zimmerman, Sumitomo Drive Technologies
AGMA Foundation receives machinery donation for use in AGMA training courses
The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) recently installed four machines at the AGMA National Training Center at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, Illinois. The four machines were donated to the AGMA Foundation and will be used to support the hands-on classes offered by AGMA.
AGMA Foundation opens scholarship application for 2022
The 2022 AGMA Foundation Scholarship Guidelines and Application is now available for download. AGMA provides scholarships to students pursuing a career path in the gear industry. See past award recipients and download this year’s application on the Scholarship page.