Faculty Education, Grants & Awards

Colleges and universities continually struggle with providing high-quality education and have been forced to search for innovative ways to keep educational programs viable. JRGF is pleased to be able to address this need by supporting education, grants and awards, specifically for academic leaders.

FACULTY TRAINING CAMPS
JRGF underwrites MCAA’s participation in the Mechanical Electrical Academic Consortium, or  MEAC, an alliance of academic institutions, industry associations, contractors, foundations and manufacturers. Through this alliance, MEAC provides annual intensive education for the academics who teach mechanical systems and/or construction management courses. These camps offered since 2005, provide knowledge in mechanical systems to academics with a background in engineering or related disciplines. This industry-specific training, in turn, helps them better teach the subject matter to undergraduate students, thus nurturing the students’ interest in our industry.

Each camp is held in cooperation with a college or university construction program, ranging from 15-20 attendees a year, and six to eight academics and contractors provide the instruction. Funding covers participants’ hotel costs, instructors’ travel and hotel costs, meals, meeting facility fees and supplies. 

The camps, which are typically three to four days in length, offer curriculum in plumbing systems and codes, isometric drawings, estimating plumbing and mechanical systems, Building Information Modeling, air conditioning systems and components, duct sizing, mechanical properties, testing and balancing, temperature controls, system commissioning, teaching methods, mechanical laboratory exercises and resources. For more information about MEAC, please contact Blake Wentz.

Faculty Continuing Education Grant

These grants encourage MCAA members to employ college or university faculty on a part-time basis by subsidizing the faculty member’s salary. By working in our industry, faculty gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities that students may face and are thus better prepared to advise them. This industry experience also helps faculty to better teach mechanical subject matter, so the students coming out of their classes are better prepared to excel in our industry. 

Suggested Areas of Assistance:

  • Provide project management, estimating, scheduling, and proposal preparation assistance
  • Develop specific case study(s) relevant to the sponsoring company
  • Develop and/or assist with training programs and materials

APPLY NOW

All applications due June 1 to Harlee Gallo Mooney.

Educator of the Year Award

The Educator of the Year Award recognizes MCAA student chapter faculty advisors for serving as advisors, educators, and mentors of students who plan to develop a professional career with the mechanical construction industry. This $5,000 award honors the involvement and engagement of our industry’s academic leaders.

APPLY NOW

All applications due December 16 to Harlee Gallo Mooney.

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS

Year Educator of the Year Recipients University
2002 Tim Wentz University of Nebraska – Lincoln
2003 Daryl Oath Purdue University
2004 Tim Wentz University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2005 Mostafa Khattab Colorado State University
2006 Greg Baker Oregon State University
2007 Keith Rahn Illinois State University
2008 Mike Feutz Ferris State University
2009 John E. Schaufelberger University of Washington
2010 Mike Feutz Ferris State University
2011 Blake Wentz Milwaukee School of Engineering
2012 Blake Wentz Milwaukee School of Engineering
2013 Daphene Koch Purdue University
2014 Maureen Weidner Kennesaw State University
2015 Blake Wentz Milwaukee School of Engineering
2016 Mostafa Khattab, Dennis Pettitt, Colorado State University Colorado State University
2017 Brad Perkins Iowa State University
2018 Blake Wentz Milwaukee School of Engineering
2019 Cristina Cosma Wentworth Institute of Technology

QUICK LINKS

Of Interest...
Molly Sizemore Receives Ferguson-Women in the Mechanical Industry Scholarship

Molly Sizemore, a junior at Pennsylvania State University, has been awarded one of the two Ferguson – Women in the Mechanical Industry Scholarships. Ferguson underwrites these scholarships, which recognize high-achieving female students working towards a degree relative to the mechanical industry. Molly is the President of the MCA of Central Pennsylvania-sponsored student chapter at Pennsylvania State University, where she studies Architectural Engineering specializing in mechanical systems. She will be interning for the second summer with MCA of Metro Washington member, Southland Industries.

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University of Nebraska Awarded Student Chapter of the Year

The Student Chapter of the Year Award recognizes an MCAA student chapter for outstanding achievement as an organization of students who are planning careers in the mechanical construction industry. The award recognizes exceptional achievement in governance and leadership, membership recruiting, fundraising, community involvement, and career development. University of Nebraska Student Chapter is sponsored by the MCA of Omaha. The chapter’s faculty advisor is, Vishnu Reddi, Assistant Professor of Practice with the Durham School College of Engineering. The student chapter takes a unique approach to fundraising, community service and networking opportunities with local MCA members.

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Ali Brown Receives Ferguson-Women in the Mechanical Industry Scholarship

Ali Brown, a junior at the University of Nebraska has been awarded one of the two Ferguson-Women in the Mechanical Industry Scholarships. Ferguson underwrites these scholarships, which recognize high-achieving female students working towards a degree relative to the mechanical industry. Ali has been a member of the MCA Omaha Student Chapter since 2017. She is earning her degree in Business Administration & Human Resources. She sees the opportunities for growth in all areas of the industry. Ali has been interning for MCA member, Waldinger Corporation focusing in administration, virtual design construction and accounting. Ali will continue her internship through this summer.

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Beyond the Classroom – The Importance of an Internship

In this month’s Beyond the Classroom, meet University of Missouri-Columbia graduate, Paige Theby. She has recently started as an Engineer at MCAA member, Murphy Company. As a past MCAA Student Chapter member and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering major, Paige talks about the importance of her internship and the opportunities she sees for people starting out in the industry. She shares how MCAA GreatFutures can help kickstart a career through networking and internship opportunities.

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Purdue University Student Chapter President Accepts Second Internship with Harrell-Fish

Colin Hindman has accepted a second summer internship with MCA of Indiana member, Harrell-Fish, Inc. Colin is a junior studying Construction Management Technology at Purdue University where he is the President of the MCAA Student Chapter. Colin says, “being a part of MCAA has both reinforced and built upon concepts I have learned in class, but most importantly on the job. My excellent experience working with HFI gave me a certain advantage when approaching the competition project. Conversely, the MCAA Student Chapter Competition taught me some valuable lessons that I’ve already been able to apply back in my internship.

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Cristina Cosma Named Educator of the Year

This year’s MCAA Educator of the Year Award was presented to Cristina Cosma of the Wentworth Institute of Technology. The award, including a check, honors her mentoring ability, industry knowledge and involvement, and her active participation in MCAA’s Student Chapter program activities. The students of the Wentworth MCAA Student Chapter sponsored by the New England MCA, Inc. said, “a mentor’s role is to provide guidance, advice, encouragement, support, and resources. Cosma checks off all of these boxes and more.”

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