Each October, PVF Roundtable (RT) presents scholarship donations to the directors and chancellors of colleges and trade schools.
To date, the PVF RT Charitable Foundation has provided over $2 million in scholarships to schools it currently supports.
In February, a representative from each school presented the PVF RT Board of Directors with a breakdown of funds donated in 2022, but dispersed in 2023, showcasing the impact on students’ lives. Each school reported assisting an average of 43-56 students and revealed unique insights from enrollment studies and post-graduate surveys.
Regarding job placement after graduation, Texas A&M University reported that out of 96 responses, 67 students received job offers or are currently employed. Focusing specifically on undergraduate degrees in industrial distribution, A&M reported a demographic breakdown of 79% male and 17% female students. In this field, 37% of graduates ended up in sales, 9% are in supply chain roles and 3% are in manufacturing.
University of Houston (UH) awarded scholarships to 56 industrial engineering students and plans to increase this number by 12-15 students next year. In 2023, the Colleges of Engineering and Technology merged, helping UH jump 21 positions from 91 to 70 in just one year, according to the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings.
Houston Community College (HCC) gave 43 students scholarships in machining, manufacturing, welding and pipefitting. HCC also conducted a study to determine why students are leaving college. The results showed that 52% left because of financial issues, such as lack of funds, personal bills and debt, and 44% left because of financial aid issues, such as expensive tuition and insufficient financial aid.
Lee College, in Baytown, Texas, awarded 43 scholarships, of which 12 were awarded to students who had previously received a PVF RT scholarship the year before. Lee College has increased its community involvement to recruit more students and now offers weekend welding classes to accommodate students who are currently employed.
Louisiana’s ABC Pelican chapter awarded 46 scholarships in welding, instrumentation and pipefitting. It has implemented a new pipefitting pilot program — 20 weeks of hands-on coursework with limited classroom time. This includes pipefitting training with cutting, oxyfuel cutting, measuring, rolling offsets, fitting equipment and pumps, flange makeup and preparing and conducting hydrostatic testing.
Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, provided scholarships in machining, millwright, NDT, industrial instrumentation, process technology and welding. Del Mar reports that 46% of the recipients are first-generation college students, 84% are low to middle income and 57% work while attending college.
Houston-area based San Jacinto College (San Jac) focused its donations on inspection technologies, instrumentation, pipefitting and welding technology. San Jac plans to hand out 80 scholarships next year — 40 per semester — and focus on students in PVF technology.
Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont, Texas, awarded scholarships to 52 students for studies in instrumentation, process operating and welding. According to Lamar, 94% of its students find a career after graduation.
How has PVF RT impacted these students’ lives? What is the impact of giving? Students receiving scholarships have an average GPA of nearly half a point higher than the college-wide average. Scholarship recipients are more than two times more likely to complete their education. For some students, a scholarship is the motivational push that fuels them to succeed and eventually pay it forward.
On behalf of the PVF RT Board of Directors, thank you for your invaluable contributions in helping us shape the future leaders of our industry. Your generous donations not only motivate and inspire students but also drive us to pursue positive change and create opportunities.
For more information, visit pvf.org or email krystal@pvf.org.