GREENVILLE – Three 2019 graduates from the Miami Valley got a little help with the next level of education from Whirlpool Corp. and One Energy.
Whirlpool’s dedication to renewable energy and One Energy’s three wind turbines that went into operation earlier this year in Greenville is helping to provide a $5,000 Megawatt Scholarship to each student.
This year’s scholarship award winners are Lorean Napper of Xenia, Gregory Goubeaux of Russia and Zachary Niswonger of Troy.
The award winners visited the Greenville Whirlpool Plant on Thursday where they were honored.
Napper plans to attend The Ohio State University next school year and major in aerospace engineering.
“This scholarship means everything to me,” the Xenia High School senior said. “It helps me achieve my dream of being an aerospace engineer. It helps me to focus on my studies, and it means my dream is coming closer to me.”
Goubeaux will attend the University of Toledo to study mechanical engineering technology.
“It’s a great opportunity, and this is an amazing company,” the 2019 Russia senior said.
Just like the company that is providing the scholarship, Goubeaux hopes to eventually develop better and cleaner energy.
Niswonger will study chemical engineering at The Ohio State University. The soon-to-be Troy High School graduate was thankful for the scholarship.
“It means a lot,” Niswonger said. “It shows my hard work has paid off. It takes away the burden of having to pay for college.”
Jenni Hanna, plant lead for Greenville Whirlpool, said, “This day is about you (scholarship winners). We can’t say enough about your accomplishments and the journey ahead of you. We wish you the best and the privilege to be part of your journey.”
Kelly Hovest, head of culture at One Energy, said, “This is one of the best things we get to do.”
She said the partnership with Whirlpool has allowed them to give $115,000 in scholarships since 2015.
“This scholarship represents a partnership with us,” she said. “If you are going into engineering and want to meet up with an engineer, we will find you one.”
In addition to the scholarship award, each student also will have their name on a plaque at the base of one of the three wind turbines in Greenville.
Each wind turbine One Energy builds represents a $5,000 scholarship every year and is presented to senior pursuing two-year or four-year degree in science, technology, engineering or math. Each factory establishes its own criteria for the scholarships and determines its specific selection process.
For more information on Megawatt Scholarships, visit www.megawattscholarship.org.
