Two Pennsylvania College of Technology students are among 54 of America’s top construction-equipment majors to receive tool scholarships from the mikeroweWORKS Foundation.
Scholarships of $1,000 were awarded to Derek S. Black, of Trout Run, and Thomas M. DiGeronimo, of Verona, N.J., who plan to graduate May 18 from the School of Natural Resources Management’s two-year heavy construction equipment technology: technician emphasis major. DiGeronimo also will receive an associate degree in on-site power generation.
They are among two recipients chosen from each of 27 Association of Equipment Distributors-affiliated technical colleges for their high cumulative GPAs as of the end of the Fall 2012 semester.
“This scholarship promotes our programs at a national level and demonstrates a commitment to technical education by the mikeroweWORKS Foundation,” said Mary A. Sullivan, dean of natural resources management at the college. “Due to our AED affiliation, we have had the opportunity to award this tools scholarship for the past three years to Penn College students who have excelled academically.”
The foundation was established by Mike Rowe, creator and host of the “Dirty Jobs” series on the Discovery Channel and a widely recognized commercial spokesman. The tool scholarship – which has benefited five Penn College students in its three-year history – is just one of the many hands-on ways that Rowe and his foundation are addressing workforce-development challenges in the construction industry.
“I’m honored to be presented with this award," Black said. “I look forward to using this financial scholarship for tools, as in a few short weeks, I will be starting my career and will be able to put these tools to work.”
DiGeronimo is similarly grateful to be selected.
“This was a good way to end my academic career at Penn College,” he said. “It is an honor to be recognized and awarded this AED Tools Scholarship.”
For more information about the School of Natural Resources Management, visit www.pct.edu/schools/nrm or call 570-320-8038.
For more about Penn College, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.