Meet a Fluid Power Scholarship Winner—William Horning

Programs like the Fluid Power Scholarships are made possible in part by the generous support of industry volunteers as well as NFPA Education and Technology Foundation and Pascal Society donors. Support these efforts by making a donation.

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

Here’s one of the winners, William Horning. He is attending SUNY Cobleskill and is enrolled in the Agricultural Engineering Technology program. We asked William about winning the scholarship . . .

What does winning a Fluid Power Scholarship mean to you?
I view the Fluid Power Scholarship as a challenge. Since the organization was willing to bet on my educational and career success by offering me a scholarship, I am challenged to put my best effort into my college education and future employment.

Why did you choose to learn about fluid power?
During my freshman year of college, I was required to take a hydraulics course. During this course, I developed my interest in fluid power systems. I enjoyed learning about how different types of hydraulic systems are designed, and how various types of valves and motors function. I also enjoyed learning how to trace through schematics to gain information about the machine. This interest in fluid power systems increased as I took more fluid power courses.

What are your career aspirations? What type of fluid power job do you hope to get after you graduate?
Upon graduation, I hope to work as a test engineer for an agricultural equipment company. In this role, I will help to conduct tests on prototype equipment to assist the product development process. I will be testing various aspects of the equipment, including the fluid power systems, which are an integral part of modern agricultural equipment.

The Foundation’s goal is to help individuals enrolled in high schools, technical colleges, and engineering schools pursue their interests in fluid power. We will accept applications for the 2020 Fluid Power Scholarships through March 18, 2020. For further information about the Fluid Power Scholarship program, contact Amy Zignego, Workforce Program Manager, at azignego@nfpa.com.