Specialized Carriers & Rigging Foundation Announces Scholarship Winners for 2020
(Centreville, VA - April 29, 2020) - The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Foundation (SC&RF) has selected the winners of its 2020 collegiate scholarship program as well as the first round of its vocational/technical scholarship winners.
Five college and university students preparing for or furthering careers related to the crane, rigging and specialized transportation industries were selected for awards this year – as well as two individuals in the vocational/technical category. The SC&RF will award a total of $27,000 in 2020 – with $10,000 going to collegiate scholarships, and $17,000 going to vocational/technical.
These scholarships represent an ongoing and overall workforce development initiative/strategic objective for the Foundation. Additional SC&RF workforce development spending includes (to total $55,000) Lift & Move USA, at $20,000, and curriculum development at $8,000.
Scholarship applications were accepted from October 2019 through January 21, 2020. Collegiate scholarship applications are reviewed once a year in February, and announced at the SC&RA Annual Conference in April. This year’s conference, set for April 14-18, in Amelia Island, Florida, was cancelled due to COVID-19. While the impact on the SC&RF is substantial, the decision was made to maintain scholarship funding and provide as many resources for education through financial assistance and free training. Free training is offered through a Partner in Education program where organizations provide tuition to be awarded through the award program. Partners include: ATS (Associated Training Systems), ITI (Industrial Training International), CICB (Crane Inspection and Certification Bureau) and Morrow Equipment Company. Additionally, certification fees are offered by NCCCO.
In alphabetical order, the recipients are as follows:
Collegiate Scholarships:
Grace Erlinger, from Peachtree City, Georgia, was awarded a $1,000 Jay Shiffler Memorial Scholarship. She currently attends the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemical and biochemical engineering. Grace’s father is the SE district manager at Link-Belt Construction Equipment. As she contemplates her future, she recognizes engineering’s role in the crane and rigging industry and the importance of the industry through her father’s successful career.
Elise Freuh, of Nashport, Ohio, is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Mount Union University in Alliance, Ohio. Her father is the president at Fruhquip, Inc., and she received a $1,000 Terex Continuing Education Scholarship. She currently works at Shelly and Sands Inc., a construction company based in Zanesville, Ohio, and plans on becoming a civil engineer and working on roadway transportation, specifically bridge building. She also received a scholarship in 2019, and says that both awards have helped her pay part of her tuition as well as allowed her to cultivate her career by meeting industry leaders at SC&RA conferences.
Amanda Quintanilla, of Huntertown, Indiana, received a $2,000 IUOE Continuing Education Scholarship. She is a corporate recruiter at Buchanan Hauling & Rigging, and is pursuing an MBA in human resources management from Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Amanda’s ultimate goal is to continue in the HR profession and become a trusted source for her team, while attracting talent, fostering employee engagement, building diversity and creating strong culture.
Jessica Rios is from Central Point, Oregon, and currently attends Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she’s pursuing a master’s degree in human resource management. She currently works as the human resource manager at Combined Transport, Inc., and loves working for the trucking company and plans to be there for a very long time. She received a $4,000 George Bragg Memorial Scholarship, and says the award is helping her financially and keeps her from stressing about how she’s going to stay in the program.
Jacqueline Shrader, of Yulee, Florida, was awarded a $2,000 George Young Memorial Scholarship. She currently works in data entry with A1A Software and is pursuing a bachelor of science with a major in information systems from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Jacqueline is interested in a career in the crane and rigging industry. She received a scholarship in 2019 as well, and says it was a huge help in allowing her to transition from working on her associate’s degree.
Vocational/Technical Scholarship:
Caiden Lee is from Clearwater, Florida, and desires to work for a company in the construction and/or transport industries. He was awarded a $2,500 Anderson Trucking Continuing Education Scholarship, and desires to use it to obtain multiple ASE certifications in Diesel Systems Technician I and II at Pinellas Technical College, which he currently attends part-time. He presently works as a mechanic assistant at R and S Motorsports in Largo, Florida, and hopes that by continuing his education as a diesel mechanic and obtaining the certifications, it will greatly advance his career and allow him to secure work on heavy equipment such as cranes or offshore on an oil rig.
Partner In Education Scholarship:
Arielle Simms, of Sabine Pass, Texas, was awarded 50% tuition for a CICB Crane Operator Course through the Partners In Education program. She works as an excavator and dozer operator for Entact LLC, a soil remediation company in Sabine Pass, and will use this opportunity to broaden her skills and certification in order to pursue even greater opportunities after seven successful years in the industry already.