WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Two of five $5,000 scholarships recently awarded by the Oil and Energy Service Professionals and its co-sponsors have gone to Pennsylvania College of Technology students.
The scholarships were presented to Peter W. Bennett, of Sea Cliff, New York, and Ian H. West, of Hummelstown. Bennett is enrolled in the two-year heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology major; West is working toward a bachelor’s degree in heating, ventilation and air conditioning design technology.
The financial assistance comes from the organization’s Dave Nelsen Scholarship Program, established in 1999 to memorialize an OESP member’s commitment to education. The scholarship is awarded to students who attend (or are planning to attend) a technical college or trade school, pursuing careers in the oil and energy industry.
“The Penn College HVAC Department is thrilled once again to have two of our students win Dave Nelsen $5,000 scholarships from OESP,” said Richard C. Taylor, associate professor of plumbing and heating. “Peter and Ian have gone above and beyond in their academic work, their early participation in fieldwork and in their diligence in performing the necessary tasks to apply for this scholarship. They are very deserving!”
The recipients were announced at this summer’s Eastern Energy Expo in Hershey, attended by Taylor and faculty colleague Kenneth E. Welker Jr.
To be considered, scholarship candidates are asked to write a 500-word essay, highlighting how their educational background has prepared them for career success. Applicants are also asked to share their career goals for the next five to 10 years.
“We are extremely proud of the 2019 Dave Nelsen Scholarship recipients," OESP President Ralph C. Adams said. “These individuals are the best of the best applicants and we are confident that they will continue the legacy of Dave Nelsen. We are very thankful to our corporate, association and OESP chapter sponsors, who, along with OESP, co-sponsor the scholarships each year.”
Bennett’s scholarship was co-sponsored by OESP’s New York City and Westchester chapters, while West’s was awarded jointly by OESP and the South Central Pennsylvania Energy Association. Over the past two decades, OESP and its industry partners have distributed more than $300,000 to students interested in pursuing careers in the energy service industry.
Penn College’s HVAC program is accredited by the Partnership for Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Accreditation; endorsed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America; and approved as a training site for the National Oilheat Research Alliance. For more information, call the School of Construction & Design Technologies at 570-327-4518 or visit www.pct.edu/hvac.
For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.