SPE Foundation Scholarships

General Information

The SPE Foundation is proud to recognize our 2024 SPE Foundation Scholarship Recipients. Altogether, the SPE Foundation helped award scholarships totaling $262,250 to 75 students in 2024.

2024 SPE Foundation Scholarship Recipients

The SPE Foundation offers numerous scholarships to students who have demonstrated or expressed an interest in the plastics industry. They must be majoring in or taking courses that would be beneficial to a career in the plastics industry. This would include, but is not limited to, plastics engineering, polymer science, chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, journalism or communications. All applicants must be in good standing with their colleges.

Applications for our 2024-2025 scholarships are currently closed. Applications for our 2025-2026 scholarship will reopen December 1, 2024.

For Plastics Pioneers Association Scholarship Tips for Success, review the PPA Applicant Guidelines document.

For Western Plastics Pioneers Association Scholarship Tips for Success, review the WPP Applicant Guidelines document.

Student Membership

Student membership in SPE is free and you must be a member to apply for a scholarship.

Not an SPE Student member? Join today!

2024 SPE Foundation Scholarships

Foundation Undergraduate General Scholarships	Norm Kakarala SPE Detroit Section Scholarship Thomas E. Powers SPE Detroit Section Scholarship Robert G. Dailey SPE Detroit Section Scholarship Gail Bristol Scholarship — preference given to females Robert E. Cramer Product Design & Development Division Scholarship
Art & Carl Haas Scholarship	Residents of Michigan or those studying in the State of Michigan who have expressed an interest in plastics and are majoring in or taking courses beneficial to a career in the plastics industry [Foundation General Scholarship].
Cleveland Section Scholarship	U.S. citizen high school senior or student in a two- or four-year college technical program or Masters/Doctorate program. HS seniors must prove acceptance at college. Applicants must have ties to the NE Ohio area. Preference given to students with a parent who is a member of SPE. Must demonstrate expressed interest in plastics and be majoring in or taking courses beneficial to a career in the plastics industry.
Crain Communications Bill Bregar Memorial Scholarship	Established on behalf of the Bregar Family by Crain Communications and the Society of Plastics Engineers, the Crain Communications Bill Bregar Memorial Scholarship supports aspiring journalists and business communicators in plastics and manufacturing industries.
Brightmark Scholarship in Plastics Circularity	Applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students attending Georgia Institute of Technology pursuing a degree beneficial to the plastics industry with research or experience in sustainability and/or circularity. Applicants must be in good standing with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. An essay with examples of work or research done in the field of sustainability or circularity including a project, paper, presentation, volunteer work, or internship is required. Scholarship awards may be used by the recipient to defray costs of tuition, fees, books, tools, required instructional supplies, technical plastics/polymer conference participation, and other eligible expenses. Applications are due April 30, 2024.
Donald McCoy Chicago SPE Scholarship	Full-time undergraduate or graduate students who are residents of Illinois and attending college in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, or Michigan.
Fleming-Blaszcak Scholarship	Full-time undergraduate or graduate students of Mexican or Mexican-American descent who have expressed an interest in plastics and are majoring in or taking courses beneficial to a career in the plastics industry [Foundation General Scholarship].
Gulf Coast Hurricane Scholarship	Undergraduate students who are residents of and attending school in FL, AL, MS, LA or TX and who have expressed an interest in plastics and are majoring in or taking courses beneficial to a career in the plastics industry [Foundation General Scholarship].
Harold Giles Composites Division Scholarship	One undergraduate and one graduate student. An essay is required documenting experience in the composites industry including courses taken, research conducted, or jobs held. No previous awardee can apply for the scholarship. Candidates must have at least two semesters left in their program when the award is issued.
Dr. Matthew and Mrs. Patricia Harthcock Applied Plastics Research Scholarship	Preference will be given to full-time graduate students who are working towards a Ph.D. technical/scientific degree that is beneficial to a career in the plastics/polymer industry and committed to conducting applied research in polymer/plastics with the potential of creating new capabilities in existing products or new products which will benefit society. Applicants should be U.S. citizens with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Additional preference will be given to students who have demonstrated the use and value of structural, morphological, and other polymer characterization approaches to significantly impact the research and/or are working on products impacting the automotive or aviation industry.
Irv Poston Detroit Section Scholarship	Graduate students pursuing a career in plastics with preference given to those with experience in the automotive industry.
Injection Molding Division Scholarship	Graduate or undergraduate students with experience in the injection molding industry who can document their experience through courses taken, research conducted, or jobs held.
Automotive and Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) Scholarship	Two scholarships for full-time graduate students, one graduate or undergraduate junior or senior. Students must be in good standing and pursuing a degree in Polymer Science, Composites, Plastics or a related engineering discipline. A two-page essay is required showing planned work and how it will benefit composites in an automotive or other ground transportation application. One recommendation must come from the student's advisor or mentor. Scholarship recipients are required to present their research project at the next ACCE conference.
Dr. Jackie Rehkopf Scholarship	Full-time graduate students, preference given to female students, but the best candidate will be selected. If no graduate students qualify then two $2,500 scholarships may be awarded to undergraduate students with junior or senior standing. Focus should be on research activities targeted at ground transportation composite technology. Students must be in good academic standing and pursuing a degree in Polymer Science, Composites, Plastics or a related engineering discipline. A two-page essay is required showing planned work and how it will benefit composites in an automotive or other ground transportation application. One letter of recommendation must come from the student's advisor or mentor. Scholarship recipients are required to present work at an SPE technical conference and/or have it published in an SPE technical journal.
Carrie Fox Solin Memorial Scholarship	Applicants must be enrolled full time in a degreed undergraduate discipline in science, technology, or engineering that is associated with the Plastics Industry including Plastics Engineering, Plastic Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Materials Science. Candidates must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale). Applicants must have an accepted offer to work, as a Co-op or Intern, at a Blow Molding company or company that services the Blow Molding industry. Alternately the applicant must have completed a Co-op or Intern in the previous year at a Blow Molding company or company that services the Blow Molding industry. The applicant must provide written documentation of the offer or experience letter from the employer, stating the type of work they will be performing or have performed as an intern. The duration of the internship must be at least 2 months. Applications for this scholarship are due May 31, 2025.
Future Blow Molding Professionals Internship Scholarship	Applicants must be enrolled full time in a degreed undergraduate science, technology, or engineering discipline that is associated with the plastics industry including Plastics Engineering, Plastic Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Materials Science. Candidates must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale). Applicants must have an accepted offer to work, as a Co-op or Intern, at a Blow Molding company or company that services the Blow Molding industry. Alternately, the applicant must have completed a Co-op or Internship in the previous year at a Blow Molding company or company that services the Blow Molding industry. The applicant must provide written documentation of the offer or experience letter from the employer, stating the type of work they will be performing or have performed as an intern. The duration of the internship must be at least 2 months. Applications for this scholarship are due May 31, 2025.
Pittsburgh Section Scholarship	Undergraduate students with at least one year of college completed. Applicants must have attended high school in the greater-Pittsburgh area.
Jonathan Meckley Memorial Scholarship	In honor of Professor Jonathan Meckley, this scholarship recognizes Penn State Behrend students pursuing a degree in the Plastics Engineering Technology program.
Willi Müller Scholarship	Full-time undergraduates in a science, technology, or engineering discipline that is associate with the Plastics Industry: Plastics Engineering, Plastic Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Materials Science. An essay is required explaining the importance of blow molding to the technical parts and packaging industries and any work/co-op/internships completed in the past.
Lew Erwin Extrusion Division Scholarship	PhD candidate or Senior/Masters research in polymer extrusion. Thesis/journal or conference paper/project report topic must be included in application. One letter of recommendation must come from the student's advisor or mentor. Scholarship recipient must present a paper on their research at ANTEC.
Russell J. Gould Extrusion Division Scholarship	US or Canadian citizen. Students in their second or third year with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who are pursuing an AS or BS in polymers, materials science, or plastics engineering, and who are focusing on a career in plastics, or rubber or polymer processing/engineering. An essay is required detailing the benefit of receiving this scholarship.
Ed Steward Extrusion Division Scholarship	High school senior or college freshman with a GPA of 3.0 or higher studying at a U.S. or Canadian college with a focus on polymers or plastics engineering, pursuing an AS or BS in mechanical, chemical, or manufacturing engineering and pursuing a career in plastic or rubber extrusion processing as a technician or engineer. Must be active in student SPE chapter if one exists and submit an essay report on the benefit of receiving this scholarship.
Flexible Packaging Division Scholarship	Undergraduate students in a four-year technology, engineering, or science program related to flexible packaging. Preference wil be given to Juniors or Seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants must document their experience in flexible packaging including courses taken, research conducted, or jobs held. Recipients will submit an essay stating how they will benefit from receiving the scholarship.
Jay Gardiner Memorial Scholarship	The Jay Gardiner Memorial Scholarship recognizes students pursuing a degree beneficial to a plastics-related career. Special consideration will be given to students actively involved as first responders or whose parents are first responders.
Jordan Rotheiser Decorating & Assembly Division Scholarship	Undergraduate students with experience in the decorating of plastics by painting, vacuum metallizing, electroplating, hot-stamping, assembly or other related supplies and equipment including courses taken, research conducted, or jobs held.
Plastics Pioneers Association (PPA) Scholarship	PPA has awarded as many as 19, $3,000 scholarships per year for more than 25 years. Applicants must be American citizens (born or naturalized) and must be undergraduate students in a college baccalaureate program, a 2-year Associates degree program, or degree program from an accredited trade school. Fields of study may include plastics engineering, plastics technology, polymer science, chemical, industrial, and materials engineering; packaging, manufacturing support, mold making, mold design, product design, and other similar courses, including the management of businesses in these fields. Applications are rigorously reviewed by a panel of plastics industry pioneers who, in addition to objective items, are looking to learn about the person, their history and their values. This information is derived by the reviewers from the student’s essay and letters of recommendation and account for 48% of the score.
Polymer Modifiers & Additives Division (PMAD) Scholarship	Graduate or Undergraduate students with experience in the PMAD industry who can document their experience including courses taken, research conducted, or jobs held.
Recycling Division Scholarship	Undergraduate students enrolled in programs with a focus including Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, Environmental Science, or Sustainability. Applicants must include an example of work done in the field of recycling including a project, paper, presentation, volunteer work, or internship.
Salvatore J. Monte Thermoplastic Materials & Foams Division Scholarship	Undergraduate and graduate students with experience in the thermoplastic materials & foams industry who can document their experience including courses taken, research conducted, or jobs held.
Thermoplastics Elastomers Technical Interest Group Scholarship	Must be a rising full-time Junior, Senior, or graduate student (MS only) currently studying at a North American college or university and majoring in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Material Science, or an engineering discipline (excluding civil engineering, industrial engineering, or mechanical engineering). Essay must detail courses taken, research conducted, or jobs held related to thermoplastics elastomers. Letters of recommendation may not be more than 1 year old. Undergraduate transcripts required for MS students. Past winners are not qualified.
Western Plastics Pioneers Scholarship	Undergraduate students who have expressed an interest in plastics and are majoring in or taking courses beneficial to a career in the plastics industry including those enrolled in AS or technical degree programs and are attending school in AZ, CA, CO, OR, or WA.