Are you a student who is interested in studying woodworking in college? The WMIA is here to help. Every year, we give out college scholarships to students who are want to study wood technology, machinery and related fields.

2010 Scholarship Winners

Khris Beagley

I am from Blacksburg, Virginia and graduated in 2008 from Blacksburg High School where I now coach volleyball, shot put, and discus. I always knew that I wanted to attend Virginia Tech, and after studying both residential construction and carpentry at Blacksburg High, everything seemed to fall into place. After college, I plan to work for a residential design-build firm so that I may design dream homes for families and then construct their house to ensure that the job is done correctly. I am extremely happy to be a Hokie and look forward to finishing my degree in my hometown.

Christopher Bell

Christopher started his woodworking interests at an early age helping his dad in the shop at home.  His father always said “he was born with sawdust in his blood.” Christopher took that interest and followed up on it in high school shop and ended up where he currently is now at Pittsburg State University, (PSU).

Christopher is a senior at PSU where he is working towards his Bachelor’s degree in Wood Technology with an emphasis in Wood Product Manufacturing. In the fall of his senior year he will be taking over the role of the vice president of the student organization at PSU, The Society of Architectural Woodworkers (SAW Club).

The WMIA scholarship is a prestigious award and on that Christopher is very honored to receive. His future plans after graduation involve continuing to make an impact in the wood industry in manufacturing.

Kyle Burger

I am a hardworking son of a Kansas farmer and auto mechanic. When I was younger, I helped my parents in the wheat fields and with the cattle. Now I work with my dad doing paintless dent repair in the summers. He installed the solid wood ethics in me that I now have. I enjoy playing tennis and basketball, singing and playing the bass and acoustic guitars in our church worship team. I am looking forward to a career in wood technology where I can use my passion for wood working. I also desire to earn the respect of my future colleagues in this industry, to be a fair manager, and a productive employee for the company that hires me. I plan to achieve a master’s degree that will equip me for leadership positions. Thank you very much for this scholarship.

Ashley Harvey

My name is Ashley Harvey and I am currently a junior at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS. I am pursuing a degree in Wood Technology with an emphasis in Wood Product Manufacturing. I graduated from Webb City High School in 2007, where I took four years of Industrial Arts. This summer, I will be completing an internship at Dimensional Innovations in Overland Park, KS, where I will get to experience multiple areas of the industry, such as designing, graphics,fabricating, and engineering metal and wood products.

This is my third scholarship from WMIA, so I appreciate their confidence in me and willingness to contribute to my future education. I will return to Pittsburg State University in August to finish my senior year and plan on graduating in May of 2011.

Christopher Placke

I am Christopher Placke, and I am attending The University of Rio Grande. I was born in North Carolina but now live in Troy, Ohio. I enjoy playing sports, fishing and trying new things. I am involved in Search, whichis a campus wide bible study.
I am going to college to receive my bachelor's degree in Fine Woodworking. I became interested in building furniture from my parents when I was a kid. My parents owned a woodworking business in North Carolina, but had to close it when we moved to Ohio. They taught me all that they knew about woodworking.Most of it is still useful but I have found many new tricks and techniques that they never knew.
I took two years of high school woodworking. In those two years, I learned the basics of using machinery and finishing. I built a cedar chest, a nightstand,and three shelves in those two years. In college I  have built two shaker nightstands, three shelves, a bookcase, and a Pennsylvania Secretary Desk. I have a full time job during the summer and part-time during school at Timber Creek Custom Cabinetry. My long term goal is to one day own my own woodworking business.

Stephan J. Sirkovsky

I am 24 years old and currently live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I enjoy participating in outdoor activities and sports such as camping, boating, cycling, golfing,football, baseball and soccer. I love being in front of a camera. I have been apart of 27 different movie productions in Winnipegas well as taking on lead roles in university level independent films. 

This fall I will be entering the third and final year of the Wood Products Manufacturing Technology program at Red River College in Winnipeg.  I have achieved the highest GPA in my class.My average mark for the past two years has been between 90-95%.

This summer I am employed by JELD-WEN Windows & Doors as an intern. The position involves shadowing a manager for part of the summer as well as performing quality tests on products and working to improve an assembly line. I enjoy being in a management position, I like the challenges and the creative side of trying to improve processes and make them more efficient. I like to lead by example, if I expect my employees to work hard then they need to see that I am willing to work hard as well.

I would like to thank the WMIA for recognizing my hard work and achievements.

Derek Taylor

Derek Taylor was born on New Years Day of 1986, in San Diego, California. He grew up in the town of Carlsbad, in north county San Diego where he attended elementary,middle and high school. His Mother Christine, an elementary school teacher, and father Brad Taylor, a boat builder and furniture maker/woodworker, divorced when he was nine years old. His father later moved back to Long Island,New York. Derek was active in sports playing competitive baseball on a traveling team until he way in high school. He then began to pursue his new love for surfing. However, it was the solitude and connection with nature and the ocean that engaged him the most. After he graduated high school, he eluded to central and south America to embark on life changing journeys where he lived for several months, learning Spanish, living with families, working, and surfing. Upon his return to California, Derek began working in the construction trades doing tile and stone work in custom homes. However, on April 27^thof 2008 all of that would change. Around5 o’clock a.m. a San Diego County detective knocked on his front door and informed him that his father, Brad Taylor, had committed suicide just hours earlier. And shortly afterwords Derek’s life purpose took a turn. Derek had become extremely passionate about woodworking, and following in his father’s skilled footsteps. He is dedicated to the art and craft of fine woodworking and is currently pursuing a certification as a fine furniture maker, and a luthier ( stringed instrument maker). He is enrolled full time at Palomar College in San Marcos, California, in the vocational Wood Technology Program and wishes to transfer to the College of the Redwoods, or Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinet Making sometime in the future.

Scott Vasey

I am entering my last semester at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, where I am working on obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Wood Technology with an emphasis in Wood Product Manufacturing. I graduated from Lincoln East High School in Lincoln, Nebraska in 2007. At Lincoln East High School I took numerous hours of woodworking and earned recognition and awards at the 2006 WoodLINKS/IWF Competition in Atlanta, Georgia and the2007 AWFS Fresh Woods Competition in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I am currently the President of our student organization,Society of Architectural Woodworkers (SAAW Club) which I became a member of my freshman year. My sophomore year I became a Lab Assistant in the Wood Technology program at Pittsburg State University which I have continued into myj unior/senior year. This summer I will be taking an internship with Brochsteins Inc. in Houston, Texas. I have been fortunate enough to receive the WMIA scholarship for the fourth year, an honor I am very appreciative of.

Colleges that offer woodworking programs

Want to find a college or university that offers classes in woodworking, furniture making, wood science or related fields? Check out our list of schools by state. Know of a college that has a woodworking program that's not in our list?

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