Our 2019 Section Scholarship award honors two students who show exemplary performance in academics, the community, and look forward to careers where automation and controls play an important role.
The scholarship honors three past Philadelphia section presidents – Ross Forman, C. Blair Ives, and Cliff McLaughlin. These three gentlemen were truly giants of the past and illustrate the amazing history our chapter has in the development and progress in controls and automation.
We are awarding two scholarships this year – one candidate will be awarded $1000, and the other winner will be awarded $2500 to offset the cost of their education. All candidates are good students, have been service oriented in the community, are involved in their school and discipline, and are great citizens of faith and honor. There are no losers here! If there was a year of exemplary candidates this year was it! All four of the applicants had strong backgrounds, and it came down to interviewing all four candidates and discussing their accomplishments and plans for the future.
Technology changes in less than a year (the line fifteen years ago was technology changes every 18 months – shows my age!). If technology turns over as such, we need smart people to take the reins for the future of ISA (and this section). From the looks of our award winners, we are in great hands.
Our honorees are:
Joshua Gudesblat ($1000 scholarship) – Josh is a graduating senior at Downingtown STEM Academy (#1 STEM school in the state, 35th in the nation) and will be heading to Rochester Institute of Technology for a 5-year BS/MS program in Mechanical Engineering. Josh was nominated by his grandfather for the honor, and to say engineering and technology is in his blood is an understatement. He trains people in use of SolidWorks CAD systems.
Josh has participated in robotics competitions, volunteers as a mentor for FIRST LEGO League Teams, plays xylophone and is a section leader for the Downingtown East marching band, is an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate, scored well on SATs, and somehow has found time to work at a bicycle shop. Josh is ready for the challenges at RIT – congratulations!
Christine Kelly ($2500 scholarship) – Christine is a graduating senior at Upper Darby High School and will be attending Penn State University majoring in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Leadership. She holds a 4.0 GPA and is ranked 4th of 903 students at Upper Darby High School.
A 1570 SAT score, several 5s in AP tests, an incredible soprano who has been a featured soloist a dozen times with awards for choral performances, volunteered at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, an Ambassador Girl Scout, been a soccer “buddy” for children with special needs, participated in Unified Bocce Ball for Special Olympics, and been a huddle coach for Grace Lutheran Vacation Bible School. Her passion for solving problems and enthusiasm to learn at Penn State I am sure will spell a successful educational experience at State College. Congratulations Christine!
– Fred DiPasquale, Scholarship Chairman