2025-2026 Scholarship Application
The AGMA Foundation Scholarship Program is open to students interested in a career in the gear industry, and/or power transmission as it relates to the gear industry. Applicants must be enrolled or recently accepted as full- or part-time students in a nationally accredited program. Annual scholarships are available for those enrolled at technical/associate, undergraduate, and graduate schools. Preference is given to applicants with current or recent experience working in the gear and/or power transmission industry.
2024 Scholarship Recipients
Luis Arciniega is a Junior at Minnesota State University-Mankato. He is pursuing a degree in engineering with a Mechanical Focus.
He works at AGMA member company, Croix Gear
“I’m really excited and grateful to have received the AGMA Foundation scholarship, which has been a tremendous help in covering my school expenses and allowing me to focus more on my studies. It has also greatly boosted my confidence and motivation, making me more enthusiastic and determined to learn about gears and gear manufacturing. I’m eager to dive deeper into my studies and explore new developments in the field. This support means a lot to me as it not only helps with my education but also strengthens my drive to work hard and make a positive impact in the gear industry. I’m truly thankful for this opportunity and the belief in my potential, and I appreciate the help in achieving my goals.”
2024 LINDA AND BIPIN DOSHI SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
Nolan Finfrock is a Sophomore at Purdue University. He is pursuing dual degrees in mechanical engineering technology and mechatronics engineering technology
He interned at AGMA member company, Schafer Industries
“I am deeply honored to receive the Linda and Bipin Doshi Scholarship. This award is extremely special and meaningful to me as a former Schafer Industries intern and having family connections to the Doshi family. Being honored with an AGMA scholarship for a second consecutive year is a testament to the AGMA Foundation’s commitment to supporting future engineers, and I am truly grateful for their support.
The support provided by the AGMA Foundation has been critical in helping me focus my efforts on academic growth without the burden of financial stress. Over the past year, I have worked hard to make significant progress in my academic and career goals, such as my leadership and drive in the classroom setting, my involvement in engineering-related extracurriculars, and my gear-industry focused internship at Schafer Industries this past summer.
Your continued investment in my education and career is truly appreciated, and I am eager to demonstrate the impact of your contributions as I continue my academic journey. I thank you again for your support, and I look forward to further displaying my potential.”
Henry Aidan Ford is a Freshman at Purdue University. He is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering
He works at AGMA member company, ITAMCO
“Growing up with very little, I learned early on the value of independence. Being a first-generation college student has come with so many challenges and standstills as I have been teaching myself the information needed to be successful. As I have been piecing together my path, there have certainly been times when the foggy road ahead felt daunting. Monumental reminders, such as this one, make every 50-hour work week and sleepless night not regrettable.”
Faith Hyllberg is a Senior at Grand Canyon University. She is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering
She was an intern at AGMA member company, Twin Disc
“I am very thankful to have received the AGMA scholarship again this year. Working at Twin Disc in Wisconsin for a second summer, I was excited to explore a different aspect to manufacturing engineering. I was able to reverse engineer a pinion with a previously broken part as my only reference. With lots of help from my team and support from the company as a whole, I was able to learn skills in CNC machining, Mastercam, Solidworks, and much more. The hands-on work and experience I was able to gain this summer is invaluable. Earning this scholarship makes me feel proud of myself for working hard to understand different processes and roles at a power transmission manufacturing plant. I am ecstatic for what the future holds and what opportunities arise as I enter my senior year at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.”
Brandon Jahoor is a Sophomore at the University of Waterloo. He is pursuing a degree in mechatronics engineering
He was an intern at AGMA member company, ODG
“I am incredibly honored and thankful to be a recipient of the AGMA Foundation Scholarship. As a Mechatronics student at the University of Waterloo, I’ve had the privilege of gaining hands-on experience in the gearing industry through my co-op at Ontario Drive and Gear (ODG). This award has significantly eased the financial strain of my education, allowing me to focus more on my studies and practical learning in engineering.
The scholarship not only supports my current academic goals but also inspires me to give back to the industry in the future. I am deeply grateful for your belief in my potential and your invaluable support. Thank you for this incredible opportunity”
Matthew Kogler is a Senior at The Ohio State University. He is pursuing a degree in aerospace engineering
“I am deeply honored to receive this generous scholarship from the AGMA Foundation. The cost of education can be daunting, and this scholarship significantly alleviates the financial burden, for which I am truly grateful. I am excited to continue my research in fatigue testing of polymer gears and bearing efficiency. I will be finishing my undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering in the spring of 2025 and then pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering as part of the GearLab at The Ohio State University. This scholarship will play a crucial role in my academic and professional journey, and I am profoundly thankful for the opportunity it provides.”
Enes Timur Ozdemir is a fourth-year PhD student at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell pursuing his doctorate in mechanical engineering.
“It is a great honor to receive the AGMA Foundation scholarship, so I am most grateful for your support. Also, I would like to thank you for choosing me. Receiving this scholarship will help me to improve the electric motor test setup, which will allow me to investigate the effects of gearbox on in-wheel electric drive systems.”
Michael Rinaldi is a Freshman at Milligan University. He is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering
Michael has special ties to AGMA member company, Artec Machine Systems
“I am incredibly honored to have been awarded the AGMA Foundation Scholarship. This scholarship has not only lightened my financial burden but also motivated me to continue pursuing my passion for mechanical engineering. With the support of the AGMA Foundation, I am confident that I can achieve my academic and career goals, and make meaningful contributions to the industry. Thank you for believing in my potential and investing in my future.”
Tyler Stiger is a Freshman at Milligan University. He is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering
He was an intern at AGMA member company, ITAMCO
“I decided to study mechanical engineering after serving in the access ministry at my church and as a TA in our school’s special gifts room. During this time God put it on my heart to want to better the lives of these kids and their families. This led me to attend Grace College because of its connections to Biomet Zimmer and DePuy. Summer going into my sophomore year I took an internship position at ITAMCO. At ITAMCO I learned about the engineering process and the importance of micro details that affect gears. The AGMA Foundation has invested greatly in my education, and me as a person. Someday I’ll be able to forward that investment to other families through my work. I’m grateful for the impact the AGMA Foundation has made on my life. “
AGMA Scholarships
Making an Impact on Students by Advancing Education
The AGMA Foundation awards scholarships to outstanding engineering students at the Associate/Technical, Undergraduate, and Graduate levels. The scholarship program was created to help fill the need for skilled employees in the gear industry.
Help keep the gear and power transmission industry moving. Consider making a contribution to the AGMA Foundation Scholarship Program and help kick start a career in gear
Geared for Success
Scholarship recipient follow-up demonstrates the success of this program. 86% of graduated recipients are currently employed in the gear/ power transmission industry.
Financial Support for Your Career
The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) Foundation awards scholarships to outstanding students at three levels: Associate/Technical, Undergraduate, and Graduate. The scholarship program was created to help fill the need for skilled employees in the gear industry.
Associate/Technical
Students may receive up to $2,500 annually.
Undergraduate
Annual scholarship awards of up to $5,000.
Graduate
Annual scholarship awards of up to$5,000.
How to Apply
Guidelines for distribution of funds and criteria for selecting recipients are established by the AGMA Foundation Board of Trustees and implemented by the Scholarship Committee. Selected by the Board of Trustees, the Scholarship Committee comprises members of the gear industry who have experience in workforce education. The Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees for final approval. The Foundation will next award scholarships in the Fall of 2024.
Applications for the 2024 Scholarship Awards are due July 1, 2024.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected]
PAST AGMA Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Undergraduate Recipients
Joshua Biddle – Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
An undergraduate mechanical engineering major, Joshua is interested in transmission design and manufacturing, and sends a heartfelt “thank you” to the Foundation and its donors.
Josh received scholarships in 2020 and 2022.
Mitch MacDermaid – Western Michigan University
Mitch is studying Mechanical engineering, specifically in the automotive field. His research goals include maintaining Westerns engine dynamometer, increasing his testing responsibilities at Eaton Corporation, continuing to increase his current GPA status, and to keep pushing himself in the automotive world.
Mitch received a scholarship in 2020.
Alexander Minton – University of Cincinnati
Alex’s passion is turbomachinery and the study of rotor dynamics. Alex is in a co-op at Cincinnati Gearing Systems, a founding member of AGMA.
See his Thank You video here!
Jared Minski – Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Jared is a college senior majoring in mechanical engineering technology. After earning his degree, Jared plans to continue working at Ameridrives Couplings in Erie, PA, and continuing to pursue his passions of turbomachinery and industrial power transmission.
Graduate Recipients
David Ajoku- Carnegie Mellon University
David is pursuing a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration on Design and Manufacturing of Mechanical systems, as well as a Master’s in Engineering & Technology Innovation Management with a focus on Product Management and Entrepreneurship.While employed at Tesla, David worked on mechanical design optimization and validation testing for the drivetrain systems of the Tesla Model 3, Model X, andModel S.
2020 Linda and Bipin Doshi Scholarship Winner
Connor Wilson- Purdue University
Connor is working on a Master’s Degree in mechanical engineering. His interests are the design and analysis of rotating machinery and material science. Connor has co-oped at Linamar-McLaren Engineering. See his Thank You video here.
Past AGMA Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Louis David Archambault (2014 & 2015) is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ecole de Technologie Superieure. His research focus is tribology. See his Thank You video here!
Milad Azvar (2018) is a PhD student in the Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Program at Waterloo University. His research interest is the dynamics and mechanics of gear cutting. See his Thank You video here!
Isaac Bowser (2017) attends Taylor University while working part time for ITAMCO.
Christian Brower (2016) attended Western Michigan University. His research goals are modeling the coefficient of friction in gears for sliding friction loss predictions. See his Thank You video here!
Matthew Cane (2014) is working full time in gear industry while completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Technology at Southern Illinois University.
Kenneth Daniel-Hamberg (2018) has a passion for renewable energies. Kenneth studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, and worked at BMW.
M.D. Fahad (2015 & 2016) received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University, where he conducted gear micropitting research in Ohio State’s famed Gear Lab. Today, Fahad is employed in the gear industry.
Caleb Gurd (2018) For his senior design project at Western Michigan University, Caleb designed, developed and validated a variable speed test bed that is capable of measuring gearbox efficiencies. Caleb presented a research paper at the 2019 AGMA Fall Technical Meeting.
Ryan Hall (2014) has graduated from Valparasio University and is now employed by Performance Gear.
Jack Jaeger (2017) has graduated from Waukesha County Technical College, and is employed at Koepfer America. See his Thank You video here!
Andrew Katz (2015) is finishing his graduate studies at the University of Waterloo while working at Ontario Drive & Gear.
Denis J. Lang (2016) graduated from Penn State Erie in May 2017 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and now works in the auto industry.
Xihui Liang (2015) finished his PhD. at the University of Alberta, and is now doing a Post Doc at the University’s Reliability Research Lab.
Tiffany Lim (2017) is a research associate in the OSU Gear Lab. Tiffany’s goal is to, “gain knowledge of gear efficiency and durability under different circumstances to help manufacturers’ avoid gear failure.” See her Thank You video here!
Nolan Maners (2017) An undergraduate mechanical engineering major at Western Kentucky University, Nolan hopes to channel his passion for robotics into inventions that will make life easier. See his Thank You video here!
Pierce McCloskey – University of Waterloo is a Master’s student at the University of Waterloo’s Precision Controls Lab, worked in cooperation with Ontario Drive and Gear as well as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield, UK. His area of research is developing a virtual model of the power skiving gear cutting process. See his Thank You video here!
Rob McEwan – The Ohio State University
Rob is in a combined BS/MS program at the OSU Gear and Power Transmission Lab. Rob is researching the effects of lubrication in high speed planetary gearboxes, and has interned at Honda and Lauren Manufacturing.
See his Thank You video here!
Tyler O’Brien (2012-2014) graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
Yue Peng received 3 )2016 – 2018) AGMA Foundation Scholarship Awards! A presenter at the 2017 AGMA Fall Technical Meeting, Yue Peng is working at the Siemens Solutions Lab at UNC Charlotte while attending graduate school. Her research is focused on gear metrology. See her 2016 Thank You video here! and See her 2017 Thank You video here!
Michael Peterson – West Texas A&M
Michael finished his Master’s in Engineering Technology in May 2020, and is currently employed at Amarillo Gear. Michael in in the process of joining the U.S. Navy, and hopes to become a Naval Aviator.
Darren Promer – Western Michigan University
Darren is pursuing a MS in Mechanical Engineering, with the goal of becoming an expert on structural mechanics and finite element analysis. Darren has interned at Eckhart Inc., and is a University Lab Instructor.
Cole Rickerson (2016) is an undergraduate in Texas A&M’s engineering department, and is “intrigued by the number of things that can be engineered using gear technology.” See his Thank You video here!
Jacob Ridenour – Western Michigan University
Jacob graduated in May 2020, and is now working full time at the Eaton Corporation.
See his Thank You video here!
Troy Robertson (2018) has been involved with the gear industry for nearly 15 years. His work and research has been in the development of gear die manufacturing processes while he attends Western Kentucky University. See his Thank You video here!
2019 Linda & Bipin Doshi Scholarship Winner
Liza Russell – Purdue University
An intern at Allison Transmission, Liza is in her final year at Purdue. Liza is focusing on engines, and green alternatives, and looking forward to a long and productive career in the powertrain industry.
See her Thank You video here!
Bahadir Sarikaya – University of Massachusetts Lowell
A two time recipient of an AGMA Foundation Scholarship, Bahadir is a mechanical engineering PhD student and graduate research assistant at UMASS Lowell, Structural Dynamics and Acoustic System Lab. His research interests are structural dynamics, linear or nonlinear dynamic modelling of mechanical systems and vibrations with a current focus on gearbox dynamics and its interaction with other drivetrain components in vehicle.
See his 2019 Thank You video here! See his 2018 Thank You video here!
Aggash Sivasoth (2017) is an undergraduate at the University of Waterloo who is fascinated by robotics, and aspires to a career in automotive engineering. See his Thank You video here!
Joshua Smith (2017) graduated from Colorado State University and is working for Dynamic Motion Control. See his Thank You video here!
Sally Starnes (2013 & 2015) completed a Master’s Degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology while working at DNV KEMA Renewables.
Aaron Thaler (2010) received a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, Aaron worked in the Gear Lab.
Mustafa Turhan (2017) a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, Mustafa’s research interest is virtual manufacturing. He is working to develop a virtual model of machine tool axes and correct dimensional errors by using trajectory correction algorithm (Iterative Learning Control). Models and trajectory correction algorithms, which will be developed in this research, will utilize a grinding machine tool as a testbed. University of Waterloo – Precision Controls Group is collaborating with Ontario Drive & Gear to carry out this project.
Aaron Ustes (2018) goal is to work in the exciting field of electric powertrains and drive systems within the automotive industry. He is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan Dearborn.
Michael Ustes – University of Michigan Dearborn
Michael graduated in May 2020 with dual degrees in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. Michael is now employed at Hitachi Automotive.
Jacob Van Dorp (2013-2015) will soon receive his Master’s Degree from the University of Waterloo. Jacob is employed by Ontario Drive & Gear.
Jacob Vanderveen (2017) a student at Grand Valley State University, Jacob’s introduction to gearing came in an internship at Tawas Tool, where he helped design hobbers and cutters . See his Thank You video here!
Matthew Waller (2018) – The Pennsylvania State University
Matt is a PhD. candidate in Engineering Science and Mechanics. His research focuses on the development of steel-composite hybrid gear technology.
See his Thank You Video here!
Nicholas Wever – Kettering University
Nicholas is interested in powertrain development, and has co-oped at General Motors’ Metallurgy Lab.
See his Thank You video here!