Gene Haas Corp. gifts scholarships and tools to project-based engineering students

By Lisa Bielmeier

Orlean/Niagara BOCES Public Relations Specialist 

The project-based engineering students at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center and their teacher, Scott Brauer, are incredibly grateful to the Gene Haas Foundation for its generosity!

Jeff Brauer, from the Haas Corp., was on hand at the end of the year ceremony to give the four students scholarships in the amount of $2,500 each to use for furthering education. Recipients Jacob Stephenson (Wilson) will attend SUNY Niagara, Kagan Smith (Starpoint) will attend the University at Buffalo, Nick Rosa (Niagara Falls) will attend SUNY Niagara, and Logan Lemieux (Starpoint) will attend SUNY Niagara. Aidan Harroun (North Tonawanda) received a toolbox with $2,500 worth of tools from the Gene Haas Foundation to use for starting his career after graduation.

The Gene Haas Foundation was established to give back to the community. Over time, the foundation’s mission expanded to support a cause Haas is deeply passionate about: enhancing manufacturing education and introducing young people to careers in industry. The foundation now plays a significant role in advancing technical education through several initiatives:

•Scholarship grants awarded to schools for students to receive CNC training, sponsorship of teams to participate in robotics and racing competitions where they design and manufacture the “product”; and

•Teacher training: Grant-funded summer training programs at seven selected schools, taught by skillful, experienced educators; Haas Technical Educators Conferences (HTEC): collaborative events for educators to be introduced to the latest technology and share best practices; and the Gene Haas Centers and Labs: an endorsement grant award for preeminent training facilities and schools expanding their programs.

Aidan Harroun (North Tonawanda) with his toolbox.