For a number of years, the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association’s (WMIA) Educational Foundation has awarded scholarships to those who want to study, and eventually pursue a career in, wood technology, machinery, and related fields. To date, the Foundation has provided nearly $450,000 to assist talented students with furthering their educational and career goals.

During this year’s Woodworking Industry Conference, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees selected eight students to receive a total of $13,500 in scholarships. The Foundation also continued its scholarship endowment program (SEP) this year, in which it provided a fixed amount of scholarship funds to several schools, and the schools determined how many scholarships to award, and in what amounts. Four schools—Pittsburg State University, the New England School of Architectural Woodworking, Seattle Central College, and the École Nationale du Meuble et de L’Ébénisterie (ENME)—participated in the program, awarding a total of $16,500 in scholarships to 11 students.

The Foundation’s total award in 2019 was $30,000.

The 2019 scholarship recipients are:

• Justin Angel, Mount Airy, NC – Appalachian State University
• Erica Cartwright, Seattle, WA – Seattle Central College Wood Technology Center
• Kelson Claassen, Hesston, KS – Pittsburg State University
• Gage Davis, Dorchester, TX – Pittsburg State University
• Kyle Gorham, Baldwinsville, NY – SUNY Morrisville
• Marie-Elisabeth Guerin, Victoriaville, QC, Canada – École Nationale du Meuble et de L’Ébénisterie (ENME)
• Harrison Houser, Clinton, WA – Seattle Central College Wood Technology Center
• Larry Johnston, Boston, MA – New England School of Architectural Woodworking
• Jes Jordan, Seattle, WA – Seattle Central College Wood Technology Center
• Nathalie Locas, Montreal, QC, Canada – École Nationale du Meuble et de L’Ébénisterie (ENME)
• Elizabeth Moreno, Tacoma, WA – Seattle Central College Wood Technology Center
• Pablo Partida, Seattle, WA – Seattle Central College Wood Technology Center
• Sarah Provard, West Jordan, UT – Pittsburg State University
• Katie Roux, Seattle, WA – Seattle Central College Wood Technology Center
• Katherine Stuglik, Hamilton, ON, Canada – Conestoga College
• Kristen Van Hoosen, Omaha, NE – Pittsburg State University
• Kendra Van Polen, McBain, MI – Pittsburg State University
• Caleb Wuthnow, Pittsburg, KS – Pittsburg State University
• Liz Xu, Montreal, QC, Canada – Rosemount Technology Centre

“Once again this year, WMIA’s Education Committee and the Foundation Board of Trustees were quite impressed with not only the skills and accomplishments of the scholarship recipients, but the passion they expressed about having a career in the woodworking industry,” remarked WMIA Education Committee Chairman Chris Hofmann, Lamello product manager – Eastern U.S., Colonial Saw Co., Inc. “Once again, it was great to see such a large number of female students receiving scholarships. WMIA is very proud to support the industry in this way year after year!”

For bios on each of this year’s scholarship recipients are listed here.