Rashad Washington Pictured with Parents at the Spring Gala
Students Receiving Dr. Irving McPhail Scholarship Awards
Over 250 future manufacturing leaders receive awards
SOUTHFIELD, MI, UNITED STATES, May 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The SME Education Foundation will award over 250 scholarships in 2026, supporting students pursuing post-secondary education in technical fields that power manufacturing. Select recipients were recognized at the SME International Awards Gala hosted by the organization on May 4.
This year alone, the Foundation awarded over $1.5 million in scholarship awards to graduating high school seniors, undergraduate and graduate students—the highest total in program history—further advancing its mission to inspire, prepare, and support the next generation of manufacturing talent. Over 2,000 applications were received, another record-breaking number. Since 2005, the Foundation has awarded over $20 million to over 6,000 deserving students.
The SME Education Foundation scholarship recipients are selected through a rigorous review process. Over 300 volunteer academic and industry professionals signed up to evaluate recipients.
“These record-breaking numbers reflect both the growing demand for skilled talent in manufacturing and the incredible potential of the students stepping up to meet that need,” said Rob Luce, vice president of the SME Education Foundation. “By awarding over $1.5 million in scholarships to over 250 students, we’re not only removing financial barriers—we’re accelerating the development of a future-ready workforce. We’re grateful to our partners whose support is helping us expand access and engage students in meaningful ways. Each of these students represents the innovation, resilience and curiosity that will define the next era of manufacturing.”
“I’m honored to be selected as a scholarship recipient and grateful to SME and the SME Education Foundation for this opportunity,” said SME Education Foundation scholarship recipient Rashad Washington. “This support will help me continue my training and build a career in welding, where I can gain hands-on experience and create a strong future for myself and my family.”
Learn more about the Foundation scholarship recipients and their achievements here.
The SME Education Foundation will begin accepting scholarship applications for the 2027-28 school year on Nov. 1. For additional information or to register and receive application reminders, please visit smeef.org/scholarships.
About SME Education Foundation Scholarships
The SME Education Foundation scholarship program awards millions of dollars to hundreds of graduating high school seniors and current college students across the country. With more than 60 distinct programs, the Foundation provides merit and need-based scholarships, issues renewing and one-time awards, and seeks applications from all eligible students. Since 2005, the Foundation has awarded $20 million to over 6,000 future industry leaders.
About SME Education Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of SME, the SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares, and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. Established in 1979, the Foundation works to expose youth to modern manufacturing technologies, train students on relevant manufacturing processes, and award millions of dollars in scholarships annually. All Foundation programming seeks to empower youth to consider and pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering. We continue to inspire, prepare, and support the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent – now as many as 12,000 students every year. Visit smeef.org and follow the SME Education Foundation on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
About SME
Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry’s potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds America’s talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.
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Marirose Albright
Communications Specialist, SME
+1 248-798-2961
email us here
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