Scholarships help further engineering career possibilities.

Press Release Summary:



Three students were awarded scholarships for $10,000 over 4 years, allowing them to pursue an engineering career through the SME Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) program as well as Henry Ford Academy Scholarship program. Ford Motor Company Fund has also funded $20,000 to Gateway Academy summer camps, an initiative of the SME Education Foundation designed to introduce middle school students from diverse backgrounds to science, technology, engineering, and math.



Original Press Release:



SME Ford PAS Scholarships Validates Dream of Engineering Career



Funding from the Ford Motor Company Fund supports the SME Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Ford (PAS) and Henry Ford Academy Scholarships.

DEARBORN, Mich., August 26, 2009 - The SME Education Foundation awarded three students scholarships for $10,000 over four years allowing them to pursue their dreams of an engineering career through the SME Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) program and another for the Henry Ford Academy Scholarship program. Each of these academic high achievers met the standards established by Ford Motor Company Fund and the SME Education Foundation.

Ford Motor Company Fund has also funded $20,000 to Gateway Academy summer camps in areas around the country where Ford has manufacturing facilities. The Gateway Academy is a nationwide initiative of the SME Education Foundation designed to introduce middle school students from diverse backgrounds to science, technology, engineering and math.

"At Ford, we recognize that education opens the doors to a world of opportunities and economic mobility," said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "We are proud of our partnership with the SME Education Foundation and excited to play a role in advancing our industry and offering opportunities to these deserving students."

"With the future of manufacturing at stake, we're pleased to work with the Ford Motor Company Fund who has allowed us to recognize the abilities of exceptional students and share in their ultimate contributions to the industry. These students will be a credit to U.S. manufacturing," says Khalil S. Taraman, PhD, FSME, PE, president of the SME Education Foundation. "As an industry partner, says Mike Schmidt, contributions director for Education, Ford Motor Company Fund, "our long-term commitment to the future of manufacturing includes making sure we have done everything possible to secure a vibrant economy."

Recipients of the 2009 SME / Ford PAS Scholarships are:

Nicole E. Adams, West Bloomfield, Mich., a 2009 graduate of West Bloomfield High School will begin her freshman year at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. to pursue studies in biomedical engineering.

William T. Cawthon, Dearborn, Mich., a 2009 graduate of the Henry Ford Academy, will begin his freshman year at the University of Michigan Dearborn, Dearborn, Mich. to pursue an undergraduate degree in engineering and masters in nano-technology.

Juan C. Haro, Harvey, Ill., a 2009 graduate of Thornton Township High School, will begin his freshman year at the University of Illinois-Urbana, Champaign, Ill. to pursue a degree in electrical engineering.

Gregory Jablonski, Dearborn, Mich., a 2009 graduate of the Henry Ford Academy will begin his freshman year at Kettering University, Flint, Mich. to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

The SME / Ford Scholarships are awarded to graduating students of Ford's award-winning PAS educational program, created by Ford as part of its efforts to engage and excite students in science, technology, engineering, and math. All applicants must be current high school seniors, seeking to pursue a bachelor/associate degree in engineering or technology, and planning to attend an accredited college or university in the United States. A 3.0 or better grade-point average on a 4.0 scale is required. Two letters of reference are required; one must come from a Ford PAS instructor. They can apply for the annual $10,000 Ford PAS Scholarship, which can be used at any accredited college or university in the United States.

About the Ford Motor Company Fund & Community Services:
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is the community relations and philanthropic non-profit funded by Ford Motor Company. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2009, Ford Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster and promote innovation in education, greater automotive safety and American heritage and diversity. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides 21st century skills-based curriculum to more than 40,000 high school students and Ford Driving Skills for Life, which has taught safe-driving skills to more than 337,000 young drivers. In addition, the Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, enlists the help of thousands of Ford employees and retirees who volunteer their time to continue Ford's legacy of community service worldwide. For more information about programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, please visit www.community.ford.com, www.ford.com, www.volunteer.ford.com or abrighterfuture.com.

About the SME Education Foundation:
The SME Education Foundation is committed to inspiring, supporting and preparing the next generation of manufacturing engineers and technologists in the advancement of manufacturing education. Created by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in 1979, the SME Education Foundation has provided more than $29 million since 1980 in grants, scholarships and awards through its partnerships with corporations, organizations, foundations, and individual donors. Visit the SME Education Foundation at www.smeef.org and award-winning Web site, Manufacturing is Cool!

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