Kettering University Announces 29 New MEDC Michigander Scholars Recipients

The state’s coveted scholarship incentive awards students $5,000 for Co-ops and up to $10,000 for accepting full-time positions and agreeing to live and work in the Great Lakes State for one year after graduation

----------------------------------------------------

Kettering University, founded to support workforce and talent development in 1919, is proud to be a partner in MEDC's goal to recruit talent and fill jobs in Michigan’s mobility, electric vehicle, and semiconductor industries.

FLINT, Mich. – Kettering University and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) have named 29 Kettering students who represent the University’s third class of Michigander Scholars. The program offers scholarships of $5,000 and up to $10,000 to qualifying Scholars who complete a Co-op (or internship) and/or accept a full-time position as a computer, electrical, or process engineer, or as a software developer (or synonymous job titles) with a participating company and commit to staying in Michigan for 12 months. To date, more than 75 Kettering students and recent graduates have been recognized as part of this growing program. Read more about the program’s opportunities here. The most recent list of Kettering University students who earned these scholarships is at the end of this release. 

The Michigander Scholars program is the first of its kind in the United States and represents an unprecedented public-private partnership with some of Michigan’s major advanced manufacturing employers and universities. The MEDC’s mission is to increase retention of college graduates in the most critical areas of the growing technology and knowledge economy. The Michigander Scholars program is a critical talent retention strategy by the MEDC that promotes key careers, recruits talent, and fills in-demand jobs in the semiconductor and electric vehicle industries, which are key to helping grow the state’s population now and in the future.

In its 2023 report, the bipartisan Growing Michigan Together Council cited a lack of access to internships and opportunities for meaningful on-the-job experience before entering the full-time workforce as one reason for Michigan’s student exodus. The Michigander Scholars program works to reverse that trend by offering more of those educational experiences in the state. Kettering University is well-suited for this task as the school has specialized in a unique 50-50 blend of rigorous academics and paid Co-op employment since its inception in 1919. In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Kettering as one of the nation’s best universities for Co-ops and internships. The Wall Street Journal also recently named Kettering as one of the top 10  colleges in the country when it comes to career preparation.

“Kettering University has a long history of preparing students to meet and exceed the rigorous demands of the state’s most innovative industries,” said Kettering President Dr. Robert K. McMahan. “The Michigander Scholars program is a robust talent retention strategy that aligns perfectly with Kettering’s Co-op model and our mission to provide our students with an educational experience built upon a best-in-class education combined with hands-on work experience. 

“One powerful result of our talented students and graduates building careers here is they act as critical fuel for Michigan’s high-tech industries, whose success is built upon attracting and retaining highly educated, accomplished, and motivated graduates. Kettering University is proud to be one of only a handful of institutions and the only private school approved for The Michigander Scholars initiative.”. 

The Michigander Scholars program is one of many innovative solutions the MEDC Talent Solutions division has developed to meet the tech workforce recruitment challenges of Michigan’s major industries. The program offers top tech and engineering students in Michigan an exclusive close-up of the EV/mobility and semiconductor industries; career guidance and job-seeking support; and networking opportunities with industry employers. Universities receive additional lines of sight into the skills employers are looking for in students, and key employers across the state have early and direct access to a pipeline of talent for internships and new postgrad positions. 

“We are creating top talent here in Michigan, but that’s not enough — we must also be proactive to retain our young professionals and ensure that experienced talent can continue to thrive in Michigan,” said MEDC Executive Vice President and Chief of Talent Solutions and Engagement Officer Kerry Ebersole Singh during the joint MEDC-Kettering University press conference held March 20 on the University’s campus. 

“The Michigander Scholars program presents a win-win-win scenario,” Ebersole Singh said. “Michigan wins by promoting our advanced manufacturing employers, career opportunities, and top-tier universities. It’s a win for students at Michigan colleges and Michiganders attending college out of state to gain real-world, hands-on workforce training through paid internships. And it’s a win for our state’s innovative companies to develop talent pipelines that are fundamental to their success.”

Kettering University announced its partnership with the MEDC and the inaugural class of 26 Michigander Scholars in April during the 2024 Spring Co-op fair, which provided the ideal stage for the announcement. Those in attendance included prospective and current Kettering students and more than 100 Co-op employer partners, many of whom could become part of The Michigan Scholars program.

The full list of employer and university participants in The Michigander Scholars program can be found at https://www.michiganbusiness.org/why-michigan/workforce/the-michigander-scholarship/.

Recognized are the Kettering University Michigander Scholars.

• FORD FULL-TIME AWARD
  • Spenser Keys, Huntington Woods, MI, Berkley High School, Class of ’24, Mechanical Engineering
• GM FULL-TIME AWARD
  • William Raines, Clarkston, MI, Clarkston High School, Class of ’24, Computer Science
• GM CO-OP AWARD
  • Brandon Bednarz, South Lyon, MI, Dexter High School, Class of ’24, Electrical Engineering
  • Bryan Burkhardt, Goodrich, MI, Goodrich High School, Class of ’25, Mechanical Engineering
  • Nicholas Dodge, Canton, MI, Salem High School, Class of ’26, Computer Engineering
  • Ian Gibson, Highland, MI, Milford High School, Class of ’26, Electrical Engineering
  • David Glover, St. Louis, MO, St. Mary's High School, Class of ’25, Computer Science
  • Shane Hurley, Canton, MI, Canton High School, Class of ’26, Computer Engineering
  • Ria Kapoor, Northville, MI, Northville High School, Class of ’28, Management
  • Patrick Pilchowski, Highland, MI, Milford High School, Class of ’27, Electrical Engineering
  • Anthony Ply, Lake Orion, MI, Lake Orion High School, Class of ’26, Mechanical Engineering
  • Ethan Shaw, Howell, MI, Hartland High School, Class of ’24, Mechanical Engineering
  • Christa Spencer, Ortonville, MI, Brandon High School, Class of ’24, Mechanical Engineering
• FORD CO-OP AWARD
  • Matthew Attisha, Shelby Township, MI, Utica Center for Math, Science and Technology, Class of ’24, Computer Engineering
  • Douglas Ray, Rochester, MI, Stoney Creek High School, Class of ’24, Computer Engineering
  • Andrew Ricard, Macomb, MI, Class of ’26, Computer Science
• MAGNA CO-OP AWARD
  • Luke Baysinger, St. Clair, MI, St. Clair High School, Class of ’24, Mechanical Engineering
• BORGWARNER CO-OP AWARD
  • Mason Dalrymple, Blanchard, MI, Montabella High School, Class of ’25, Mechanical Engineering
  • Valeria Dillanes Gonzalez, Bahia De Banderas, MX, Harkness Institute, Class of ’28, Mechanical Engineering
  • Jaydin Freeman, Auburn Hills, MI, Avondale High School, Class of ’25, Computer Science
  • Matthias Mackay, Zionsville, IN, Lutheran High School, Class of ’25, Computer Engineering
  • Xavier Omozokpia, Clinton Township, MI, DeLasalle High School, Class of ’24, Mechanical Engineering
  • Alexis Taylor, Mount Clemens, MI, Chippewa Valley High School, Class of ’26, Industrial Engineering
• HEMLOCK SEMICONDUCTOR CO-OP AWARD
  • Rameira Davis, Flint, MI, Genesee Early College, Class of ’28, Chemical Engineering
  • Andres Flores, Saginaw, MI, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy, Class of ’26, Mechanical Engineering
• BOSCH CO-OP AWARD
  • Bassam Jehangir, Bedford, NH, Bedford High School, Class of ’26, Mechanical Engineering
  • Jacob Nelson, Sterling Heights, MI, Cousino High School, Class of ’24, Mechanical Engineering
  • Frank Tilli, Clarkston, MI, Detroit Country Day High School, Class of ’25, Computer Science
• MAHLE CO-OP AWARD
  • Benjamin Spore, Howell, MI, Howell High School, Class of ’24, Mechanical Engineering