MPMA Scholarships
Making an Impact on Students by Advancing Education
The MPMA 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 MPMA Foundation Scholarship Program and help kick start a career in gear
2026 WINNERS
- Carlos Alexio Domingues, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
- Derek Mayon, Rice University
- Carson Bacheller, Clemson University | Works for Dodge Industrial
- Yatharth Bajaj, University of Cincinnati |Works with JTEKT
- Luke Bohnert, Northern Illinois University | Works with Caterpillar
- Travis Concon, Oregon State University | Works with Star Cutter
- Keith Eicholtz, Penn State University | Works with Gear Research Institute
- Nolan Finfrock, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN | Works with Schafer Industries
- Samir Hasan, The Ohio State University | Works with Timken
- Caleb Kerfoot, Michigan Technological University | Works with Star Cutter
- Tyler Odgers, Clemson University | Works with Dodge Industrial
- Matthew Temkin, Rochester Institute of Technology | Works with Shaeffler
- Alexander Davis Valieri, Clemson University | Works with JTEKT
- Adam Weightman, Iowa State University | Works with Forest City Gear
- Landen Wiggins, Purdue University, – Bipin & Linda Doshi scholarship | Works with Shafer Gear Works
- Jacob Milz, Georgia Tech
- Tyler Self, Tidewater Community College | Works with Sumitomo
- Mariena Warnick, Schoolcraft College | Works with Star Cutter
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.
2025 Scholarship Recipients
Derek Mayon
Rice University
The knowledge I’ve gained in MPMA training courses has laid a strong foundation for my current technical expertise in wind turbine drivetrains.
Carlos Domingues
University of South Florida
This scholarship came at a moment when I needed encouragement and faith in my abilities. It feels like a hand reaching out to help me when I needed it the most.
Kaelin Leishman
Trinity University (AZ)
I am incredibly grateful for this investment in my future and I am more motivated than ever to succeed in both my academic and soon to be professional life.
Vincent Ramirez
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
From designing automation systems with hardened steel gears, to printing personal projects with gears, to rebuilding motorcycle and truck transmissions and differentials, I have learned to enjoy working with and designing gears.
Sam Zulyniak
University of British Columbia
I would like to thank the AGMA Board of Trustees for this scholarship. It has been a tremendous honor and a great support in my academic journey. It has given me the opportunity to pursue formal education in the one thing that fuels my passion.
Zachary Been
Oklahoma State University
This scholarship is very helpful in assisting with paying for my education and allowing me to focus on my studies.
Chibuzor Dominic Nwaeme
Delaware Community College
I would like to thank the AGMA Board of Trustees for this scholarship. It has been a tremendous honor and a great support in my academic journey. It has given me the opportunity to pursue formal education in the one thing that fuels my passion.
Kaden Semlow
Cedarville University
This scholarship is currently helping to fund my education and enabling me to develop my skills in design and manufacturing by working on a prototype race car team focused on efficiency.
Angelo Rivera
McMaster University
There is no way to express my deep, deep gratitude for the AGMA Foundation who greatly values the young generation of students in the gear industry.
Nicolle Kim
California Institute of Technology
This scholarship has made a significant difference in helping me afford my education and focus on learning rather than financial concerns.
Daniel Buddington
Kettering University
This scholarship not only provides meaningful financial support for my education but also serves as a powerful source of motivation.
Santino Madello
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Thank you for the great news! I appreciate the support of the AGMA Foundation Scholarship Program.
Nolan Finfrock
Purdue University
Works for Schafer Industries
Awarded the Linda & Bipin Doshi Scholarship
Michael Rinaldi
Mulligan University Sophomore
Thank you for believing in me and investing in students like myself.
Kody Andriaschko
Clemson University
All my life I’ve wanted to work in the gear industry like my dad. He took me to gear shops to show me how things worked and I loved it.
Jacob Milz
Georgia Institute of Technology
Ronan Villegas-Hernandez
Georgia Institute of Technology
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 MPMA 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.
2024 Scholarship Recipients
Luis Arciniega
Minnesota State University – Mankato
Nolan Finfrock
Purdue University
Worked at Schafer Industries
Henry Aidan Ford
Purdue University
Intern at ITAMCO
Enes Timur Ozdemir
University of Massachusetts – Lowell
Brandon Jahoor
University of Waterloo
Intern for Ontario Drive and Gear
Matthew Kolger
The Ohio State University
Michael Rinaldi
Milligan University
Special ties to Artec Machine Systems
Faith Hyllberg
Grand Canyon University
Worked at Twin Disc
Tyler Stiger
Grace College
Intern at ITAMCO
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!