WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — A worldwide leader in thermoplastics has strengthened its bond with Pennsylvania College of Technology by committing additional funding for a scholarship benefiting students seeking a degree in plastics.
SEKISUI SPI recently contributed $14,000 to its namesake Student Workforce Development Scholarship at the college. Two first-year students enrolled in the plastics and polymer engineering technology baccalaureate major, who ranked in the top third of their high school graduating class and reside in Pennsylvania or Michigan, will each receive $7,000 scholarships.
“We are grateful for the continued support from SEKISUI SPI,” said Elizabeth A. Biddle, director of corporate relations. “Their dedication to tomorrow’s workforce is inspiring, and we are proud that part of that tremendous commitment benefits our students.”
Headquartered in Bloomsburg, SEKISUI SPI serves a variety of major industries across five continents with its KYDEX and ALLEN Thermoplastics products.
“This scholarship reflects our confidence in Pennsylvania College of Technology and recognizes the outstanding future industry leaders shaped by this important partnership,” said Ronn Cort, SEKISUI SPI’s president and chief operating officer. “It is an investment in our industry, company and community.”
Olivia C. Ferki, a plastics and polymer engineering technology major from Richboro, knows, firsthand, the impact of the company’s investment. She received a $7,000 Student Workforce Development Scholarship last year.
“The scholarship and support from a company like SEKISUI SPI meant the world to me,” Ferki said. “Financially, the scholarship has been a big help, but it goes beyond that. Knowing that there is a company willing to support my effort to establish a career in the industry is really important. I push myself harder because I’m so grateful for what SEKISUI SPI has done for me.”
SEKISUI SPI’s support for the college extends beyond the scholarship, noted Shannon M. Munro, vice president for workforce development.
“The company’s generosity has been expressed in a variety of ways,” she said. “SEKISUI SPI donates materials, supports workforce initiatives offered by the Plastics Innovation & Resource Center, and sponsors the SPE Foundation’s PlastiVan visit to campus and our Science Festival, both of which expose middle and high school students to STEM careers. Of course, they also hire our graduates. The relationship we have with SEKISUI is a powerful testament to how successful partnerships between education and industry can make a difference in the lives of our students and impact the evolution of a skilled workforce.”
Penn College is one of just six institutions nationwide offering plastics degrees that are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET. And the college’s PIRC is a recognized leader in plastics education and training, providing research and development assistance to plastics companies and annual workshops for plastics professionals.
For more on the PIRC, visit www.pct.edu/PIRC.
For more on Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.