Meet a Fluid Power Scholarship Winner – Richard Misner

The NFPA Education and Technology Foundation has awarded 23 $2,000 scholarships to students pursuing fluid power related fields of study.

One of the winners, Richard Misner, is attending NFPA’s Fast Track Hub Macomb Community College. We asked Richard a few questions about winning the scholarship.

What does winning a Fluid Power Scholarship mean to you?

Winning the Fluid Power Scholarship means so much to me because it helps me pay for my education, which I am paying for mostly out of pocket. It has given me an opportunity to free up money for my books and other much needed materials required for me to be successful in my education.

Why did you choose to learn about fluid power?
I chose fluid power through my Mechatronics/Automation program which teaches me a broad knowledge of fluid power, pneumatics, electronics, and mechanical disciplines. I also love working with my hands and have always been mechanically inclined, so this program fits perfectly with what I love to do.

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

When I graduate, I am hoping to pursue a career in Robotics and PLC programming. My goal is to be a professional in the field of combining mechanical systems with electrical systems to better automate and streamline industrial processes. My knowledge of hydraulics will be beneficial to my career as it requires knowledge of mechanics and electronics and is a major part of many industrial workplaces.

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 or mentor a robotics team as they work towards incorporating pneumatics in their designs. This year 16 judges from 13 NFPA member companies reviewed 50 student applications to the Fluid Power Scholarship program. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Haley Nemeth at hnemeth@nfpa.com.