Meet a Fluid Power Scholarship Winner – Austin Hinkley

The NFPA Education and Technology Foundation has awarded 20 $2,000 scholarships to students pursuing fluid power related fields of study.

One of the winners, Austin Hinkley, is attending the University of Michigan. We asked Austin a few questions about winning the scholarship.

What does winning a Fluid Power Scholarship mean to you?

Receiving this award will greatly help my family and I support my college education, as well as my younger two siblings down the road. With this scholarship, I will have less worry about financing my college education. It will also make my dreams that much more attainable and ultimately give me a better future. Thank you to the NFPA Fluid Power Scholarship committee for your generosity in this incredible award.

Why did you choose to learn about fluid power?

I chose to learn about fluid power because of its versatility in various industries, such as energy. Its various applications mean that no matter what kind of engineer you are or what sector, fluid power can always play a role in one way or another. Its uses also allow for non-traditional mechanisms and can help solve non-conventional problems, offering new solutions.

What are your career aspirations? What type of fluid power job do you hope to get after you graduate?

I intend to use my degree in mechanical engineering and minor in entrepreneurship to work in the field of energy innovation. I’m interested in exploring careers in energy engineering, designing, innovating, and improving clean, renewable, or alternative energy technologies. I will use what I’ve learned from fluid power to assist my pursuit of these technologies.

A minimum GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0, 500-word essay, and letter of recommendation were required from each applicant. The NFPA Foundation’s goal is to help graduating high school students, and individuals enrolled in community colleges, technical schools and universities pursue their academic interests in fluid power.

One way NFPA members can get involved with scholarship programs is to volunteer as a judge to serve on the application review committee. This year 27 judges from 19 NFPA member companies reviewed 122 eligible student applications to the Fluid Power Scholarship program. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Haley Nemeth at hnemeth@nfpa.com.