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Three Wisconsin Students Awarded Scholarships By SME Education Foundation

26 May 2000

Three Wisconsin Students Awarded Scholarships By SME Education Foundation

    DEARBORN, Mich., May 24 The Society of Manufacturing
Engineers Education Foundation (SME-EF) recently awarded a total of $15,000 in
scholarships to three Wisconsin students.  High school seniors Thomas S.
Jonjak of Chippewa Falls and Michael W. Rothaupt of Menomonie each received
$5,000 from SME's Family Scholarship.  College student David R. Lothe of Sun
Prairie received $5,000 as the first recipient of SME's Directors'
Scholarship.
    "In support of a strong manufacturing base for the future, SME is working
to better prepare tomorrow's practitioners to meet the accelerated technical
and business needs of the 21st century," says Randy Maiers, director of SME's
Education Foundation.  "Through our scholarship programs, SME is encouraging
some of the best and brightest students to choose a career in manufacturing."

    Jonjak's Father Sparked his Interest in Engineering
    Jonjak is currently a senior at Chippewa Falls High School.  He credits
his engineer father with introducing him to the profession.  "I remember going
to work with him as a kid and he would show me around the plant," says Jonjak.
Since then, the high school student has a GPA of 3.71, plans to attend the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduate with a bachelor's degree in
mechanical engineering.  He then plans to pursue a master's degree in either
manufacturing engineering or integrated design and manufacturing.

    Rothaupt Watched his Father Fix Things at Home
    After graduating from Menomonie High School this year, Rothaupt plans to
attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and major in mechanical
engineering with a manufacturing option.  "I helped my dad make parts for most
things that broke around our house," says Rothaupt.  "My father introduced me
to the fun of designing things."   Rothaupt has a GPA of 3.837, works part-
time and is a certified soccer referee.  He plans to travel abroad and
eventually own a business specializing in CAM.

    Jonjak and Rothaupt were runners-up for the SME Family Scholarship.
Abigail Grace Mitchell of Middlebury, Ind., received the top award of $80,000
($20,000 for up to four years).

    First Directors' Scholarship Awarded to College Student
    David Ralph Lothe is the first recipient of SME's Directors' Scholarship.
As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Lothe was awarded $5,000
toward his academic pursuit of becoming a manufacturing engineer.
    Lothe, a full-time student, maintains a 4.0 GPA while working 30 hours per
week.  His objective after graduating is to obtain a challenging position as a
manufacturing or design engineer with a progressive, future-oriented company.
He and his wife, Rebecca, have a son and twin daughters.

    Applicants for the Family Scholarship must be a child or grandchild of an
SME member, a high school senior or undergraduate with up to 30 credit hours,
pursuing a degree in manufacturing engineering, have a GPA of at least 3.0,
have a minimum SAT score of 1000 or ACT score of 21 and reside in the United
States or Canada.
    The Directors' Scholarship supports undergraduate students enrolled in a
degree program in manufacturing in the United States or Canada.  Applicants
must also be full-time students, have completed a minimum of 30 college credit
hours, have a GPA of at least 3.5, and demonstrate leadership skills.
    SME, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., is the world's leading professional
society serving the manufacturing industries.  Through its publications,
expositions, professional development resources and member programs, SME
influences more than 500,000 manufacturing executives, managers and engineers.
Founded in 1932, SME has some 60,000 members in 70 countries and supports a
network of hundreds of chapters worldwide.