Emerson awards scholarships to next-gen engineering leaders

Emerson today awarded the 2018 recipients of the annual ASCO Engineering Scholarships to Megan Krueger of Smithville, Missouri, and Dakota Kirtley of Zoarville, Ohio. Each student will receive $5,000 from Emerson to support their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in engineering. The ASCO brand of fluid control and pneumatic technologies at Emerson established this merit-based program in 2007 to help foster the next generation of engineering leadership.

Emerson’s 2018 ASCO Engineering Scholarship Winners: Megan Krueger of Missouri University of Science & Technology and Dakota Kirtley of The University of Akron

Krueger, a junior, is majoring in mechanical engineering and engineering management at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Kirtley, also a junior, is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Akron. Both universities will receive an additional $1,000 grant to their respective engineering departments.

“For over a decade, we have supported the best and brightest engineering students through the ASCO Engineering Scholarship program,” said Derek Thomas, vice president of marketing, discrete & industrial, at Emerson Automation Solutions. “Throughout those years, one thing is clear — the recipients are as passionate about engineering as we are about furthering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Emerson, through a variety of initiatives, is proud to support the commitment and success of STEM students as the next generation of leaders in engineering, business, and industry.”

Krueger said the scholarship would be instrumental in enabling her to dive deeper into her coursework. She said in choosing a dual major she has the goal to develop a firm technical base through her degree in mechanical engineering and then plans to apply this technical understanding to systems and processes in the field of engineering management.

Kirtley said his scholarship directly supports his goal of graduating college debt-free so that he can then develop a business plan and make connections to start his own business. He said his deep interest in engineering is rooted early in life: “When I was growing up, my mom told me that she was actually concerned about me because she would give me new toys, and I would immediately flip them over and start picking at the screws trying to figure out how it works.”

The ASCO Engineering Scholarship program, now in its 11th year, has awarded a total of $110,000 in merit-based scholarships to 22 students, based on their potential for leadership and for making a significant contribution to the industrial automation engineering profession, particularly as it relates to the application of fluid control and pneumatic technologies. The company has provided an additional $22,000 in grants to 20 schools of engineering.

The recipients were awarded the scholarship at PMMI’s annual Amazing Packaging Race at PACKEXPO Intl. 2018 in Chicago. The Amazing Packaging Race, sponsored by Emerson, is a fun and educational event that pits teams of packaging students from programs around the country, against each other in a race to gather points by completing tasks at specific PACK EXPO booths. Emerson’s sponsorship of the race helps support the PMMI Education and Training Foundation, which also provides scholarships to packaging students from PMMI partner schools. For information on the scholarship program, visit www.asco.com/scholarship.

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential markets. the Emerson Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. the Emerson Commercial and Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency, and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit Emerson.com.