ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill.—The fall 2014 application window for the Dr. Sherrie Ford Manufacturing as a Career Path Scholarship will come to a close on June 13. The scholarship, a key component of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence's (AME) educational outreach efforts, offers assistance for individuals hoping to pursue a career in manufacturing.

The scholarship, sponsored by the AME Institute and Kronos, is designed for individuals who are currently graduating from high school or who have prior work experience and have decided to pursue a college education. Fifteen $1,500 scholarships will be awarded this academic year, and a $500 signing bonus will be awarded to recipients who successfully complete their academic program and proceed to land a position in a manufacturing industry.

Dr. Sherrie Ford was both a consultant in the field of change and lean manufacturing and the head of one of the largest women-owned businesses in the United States, Power Partners: a transformer manufacturing plant that was scheduled for closure in 2003 before Ford and business partner Steve Hollis stepped in. Her impact on the manufacturing world has set an example for the next generation of manufacturing professionals that this scholarship strives to honor.

Scholarship applications and criteria can be found on AME's website: www.ame.org. Please contact AME Education and Training Director Nancy Wajler at [email protected] or (224) 232-5980, ext. 235 with any questions.