The ACE Award Scholarship Winner
As winner of the 2020 ACE Award in Advocacy, Michael Schmit, Director of Remanufacturing Technology at GE Healthcare, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to give away in his community. Mike already had ties to a local high school, the Milwaukee Academy of Science. The school was started in the year 2000 to help develop students from the inner city of Milwaukee for careers in Health Sciences and Technology. Mike worked with the school’s guidance counselor, Virginia Dubinski, to identify students who would be a good fit for the scholarship.
Following an application process, he selected YeIvanna Taylor-Watkins as the scholarship recipient.
The Application Process
Mike asked students to review the Reman Day Graphic Novel and share brief reflections on the subject.
The concept of remanufacturing was new to YeIvanna, but it immediately resonated with her. She noted how well it paired with the familiar framework of reduce, reuse, recycle. She added that it fit well with her slogan for life “get as much out of it as you can!”.
The Interview Process
Mike interviewed YeIvanna as the leading candidate following the reflections submission. He was struck by her determination and perseverance as well as her performance in the classroom and community.
Her Next Steps
YeIvanna has made it through a challenging course load with excellent grades and has shown leadership amongst her peers but she has also overcome challenges personally. She is currently in the foster care system in a group home and once an adult is 18 and finishes high school, they must exit the foster systems. Fortunately for YeIvanna, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has a summer school program that will start the day after high school graduation so she will have a place to live and learn as she starts the next chapter of her life. YeIvanna plans to study and work in the Health Sciences field and has a keen interest in Sustainability. She will get a head start this summer and then begin her 4 year undergraduate degree program at UW-Oshkosh in the fall. This scholarship will help pay for some of the costs of the program.
Congratulations and best of luck to YeIvanna!