Gene Haas Foundation Donates $12,000 in Scholarship Award for MxCC Advanced Manufacturing Students

Nov. 23, 2021 (Middletown, Conn.) — Middlesex Community College (MxCC) has received $12,000 in grant funding from the Gene Haas Foundation in October. The scholarships, managed by the MxCC Foundation, are based on merit and will be awarded to precision manufacturing students to cover tuition, books and supplies such as personal tooling.

“Middlesex Community College is honored to be the recipient of a 2021 Gene Haas Foundation student scholarship award. These funds provide all MxCC manufacturing students the opportunity to achieve their academic credentials with little to no cost to the student. We appreciate the partnership of the Gene Haas Foundation and their support of Middlesex Community College students,” said Tracy Ariel, director of the precision manufacturing program at MxCC.

HaaPrecision manufacturing certification equips students with the necessary hands-on experience and foundational knowledge to qualify for entry-level positions as machine operators and quality control inspectors. In this program, students are taught both conventional machining techniques and computer numerical control (CNC) machining techniques. Students who complete the program earn nationally recognized credentials and a 36-credit certificate that can be applied toward an associate degree in Technology Studies-Industrial Technology Option.

“The Gene Haas Foundation scholarship helped me complete the last semester of college after I lost financial aid. I would not have able to graduate it without it,” said Middlesex student Glenda Rivera, who earned one of the scholarships last year. She currently works as a quality assurance analyst for Habasit America, a global company for conveyer belt systems located in Middletown. She said she hopes her degree will advance her career.

According to the Gene Haas Foundation website, one of their primary goals is “to provide financial assistance for students interested in manufacturing-based careers. Scholarship programs are available through career centers, technical schools, community colleges and universities. Foundation funding goes directly to those training programs to attract prospective students.”

Learn more about MxCC manufacturing programs on the college’s website or call 860-512-2635.

Since 1966, Middlesex Community College has provided high-quality, affordable and accessible education to a diverse population, enhancing the strengths of individuals through degree, certificate, and lifelong learning programs that lead to university transfer, employment, and an enriched awareness of our shared responsibilities as global citizens. A part of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, MxCC offers more than 70 degree or certificate programs at the 35-acre campus in Middletown, MxCC@Platt in Meriden and online. MxCC also offers college-level manufacturing classes at Vinal Technical High School (Middletown) and H.C. Wilcox Technical High School (Meriden).

The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999, by Haas Automation, Inc., Founder and CEO Gene Haas, to support the needs of the local community through grants. The Gene Haas Foundation donates millions of dollars every year to manufacturing education and the community. In 2020, the Gene Haas Foundation provided more than $17 million in grants, bringing the total since inception to more than to $100 million.