SC&R Foundation Awards $40,000 For 12 Scholarships and 5 Grants

The SC&R Foundation has awarded $27,000 in scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 for 2016-2017 to 12 students preparing for careers related to the crane, rigging and specialized transportation industry. Additionally, the Foundation awarded $13,000 in grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to five individuals wishing to further their careers through continuing education courses or a vocational/technical college program. Since 1986, the SC&R Foundation has awarded over $475,000 in scholarships and grants.

In alphabetical order, this year’s scholarship recipients are Jacob Bussiere, Spencer Campbell, Olivia Fidler, Gregg Harvey Jr., Spencer Lynds, Chloe Lonergan, Tyler Owens, Lacey Rucker, Afton Willson, Cassidy West, Brian Winbum and Montrashay Worley.

Jacob Bussiere, a senior at Saint Dominic Academy, Auburn Maine, plans to use his $3,000 scholarship for tuition for a degree in Marine Engineering at Maine Maritime Academy, Castine, Maine. Since March 2014, he has been employed as Laborer at Cote Crane & Rigging, Auburn, Maine, part-time during the school year and full-time in the summer.

Spencer Campbell, a junior at Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Ky., plans to use his $1,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations. His father, Paul E. Campbell, is Manager, Logistics-Service Parts, at Link-Belt Cranes, Lexington, Ky.

Olivia Fidler, a freshman at West Virginia University, Morgantown, W. Va., plans to use her $1,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. Her father, Eric Fidler, is Director of Product Safety at the Shady Grove, Pa. plant of Manitowoc.

Gregg Harvey Jr., a senior at Boyertown Area Senior High School, Boyertown, Pa, plans to use his $3,000 scholarship in pursuit of a degree in Civil & Industrial Engineering at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa., or the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. His father, Gregg Harvey Sr., is involved in Project Sales at Barnhart facilities in Lester, Pa. He is the recipient of the Christopher Lorenz Memorial Scholarship.

Chloe Lonergan, a freshman at State University of New York, Oswego, N.Y., plans to use her $3,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Management Information System.  Her father, Paul Lonergan is President of Empire Crane Company. She is currently employed part-time at Empire Crane, Syracuse, N.Y., where, among other duties, she assists with accounts payable, receives and posts bills, posts invoices, and files paperwork. She is the recipient of the Frank Bardonaro Sr. Memorial Scholarship.

Spencer Lynds, a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, Mass., plans to use his $3,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering. His father, Howard Lynds, is an Equipment Manager at Cianbro, Pittsfield, Me. Spencer has served full-time summer internships at Cianbro, involved with Environmental Analysis/Inspection in 2014 and Auditing the Environmental Management System in relation to the ISO 14001 Standard in 2015. He previously received an SC&R Foundation scholarship in 2015. He is the recipient of the Terex Continuing Education Scholarship.

Tyler Owens, a junior at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., plans to use his $3,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Since February 2015, he has served as an intern at Link-Belt Construction Equipment, Lexington, Ky. As part of his responsibilities at Link-Belt, he has worked under the production and assembly groups to ensure proper part distribution and fix any issue involving crane components. He is the recipient of the George Bragg Memorial Scholarship.

Lacey Rucker, a sophomore at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., plans to use her $1,500 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Her father, James Rucker, is Maintenance Supervisor at Wire Company World Group, Kansas City, Mo. She is a past recipient of an SC&R Foundation Scholarship.

Cassidy West, a freshman, at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala., plans to use her $1,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business. Her mother, Shelly West, is Business Development Support Systems Manager at the Barnhart Crane & Rigging facilities in Fairhope, Ala.

Afton Willson, a high school senior at Southern High School, Harwood, Md., plans to use her $1,500 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. Her father, James Willson, is Operations Manager at L.R. Willson and Sons, Inc., Gambrills, Md.

Brian Winburn, a freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University, Lexington, Ky., plans to use his $3,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Management. Since August 2007, he has been employed at Link-Belt Construction Equipment, Lexington, Ky., where he currently serves as an Associate Quality Engineer. This work primarily involves working with suppliers to ensure the company receives parts that are free from defects. He is the recipient of the NBIS Continuing Education Scholarship.

Montrashay Worley, a freshman at the University of Hartford, West Hartford, Ct., plans to use her $3,000 scholarship in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership. Her mother, Kandee Bahr Worley, serves as the Over Dimensional Permit Manager at the Nevada Department of Transportation. She is the recipient of the Southern Industrial/Southern Crane Continuing Education Scholarship.

Additionally, the Foundation awarded grants to John Dailey, Aaron Ochoa, Nicholas Ozgar, Nathan Turley and Dasch Underwood.

• John Dailey, a truck driver for Central Fright Line, Houston, Texas, plans to use his $3,500 grant for MCO1, MCO2, and NCCCO certification at the Crane Inspection and Certification Bureau, Houston, Texas. He is the recipient of the Anderson Trucking Service Continuing Education Grant.

• Aaron Ochoa, who operates a 60-foot crane truck and delivers building materials for ISC Building Materials, Dallas, Texas, plans to use his $1,500 grant for NCCCO preparatory coursework for Mobile Crane 2 certification, from the Crane Inspection & Certification Bureau, Houston, Texas. He is the recipient of the Heartland Communications Continuing Education Grant.
• Nicholas Ozgar, a diesel mechanic apprentice at WJ Casey Trucking & Rigging Co., Inc., Branchburg, N.J., plans to use his $5,000 grant for a certificate in Heavy Equipment/Diesel Technology from Lincoln Technical Institute, South Plainfield, N.J. He is the recipient of the Robert Cookinham Memorial Grant.
• Nathan Turley, whose duties include carpentry, finishing, and fork-lift operating, at Hunter Contracting, Gilbert, Ariz., plans to use his $2,500 grant to gain mobile crane certification from Tower Crane School of Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz. He is the recipient of the McTyre Trucking Continuing Education Grant.
• Dasch Underwood, an Account Manager at PSC Crane and Rigging, Piqua, Ohio, plans to use his $500 grant in pursuit of OSHA #2264 Certificate in Permit-Required Confined Space Entry from the Mid-America OSHA Education Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the recipient of the TNT Crane & Rigging Continuing Education Grant.

 

The SC&R Foundation is a 501(c)(3) corporation with the mission to promote and benefit the industry worldwide, through grants, scholarships, research and educational initiatives.

The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) is an international trade association of more than 1,300 members from 46 nations. Members are involved in specialized transportation, machinery moving and erecting, industrial maintenance, millwrighting and crane and rigging operations,