The 2008 fall season started off on a positive note when the Career Development Committee awarded 56 grants to MCAA members that applied for one of the Student Internship Grants ($2,000 each) and to MCAA student chapters that applied for either the Chapter of Excellence Grant ($3,000 each) or the Emerging Chapter Grant ($3,000 each). The checks were mailed in mid-August.

The grant funds are provided by the Mechanical Contracting Education and Research Foundation’s (MCERF) Funding Educational Excellence (FEE) Initiative. The Career Development Committee gratefully acknowledges the Foundation’s continuing support of the MCAA Student Chapter program and its mission to attract well-qualified students to the mechanical contracting industry.

As in past years, the Chapter of Excellence Grants go to chapters that are well-established and thriving, but need some extra cash for a project or to cover members’ travel expenses to the annual Student Chapter Summit and/or the MCAA convention. This year, the chapters that received grants were: the Northern California Mechanical Contractors Student Chapter at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; the MCAA Student Chapter at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona; the Rocky Mountain Chapter of MCAA at Colorado State University; the Greater Michigan MSCA Student Chapter at Ferris State University; the MCAA Student Chapter at Georgia Tech; the Illinois State University Mechanical and Electrical Contractors Association; the MCAA Student Chapter at the Milwaukee School of Engineering; the MCA of Indiana Student Chapter at Purdue University; the Student Chapter for Mechanical/Electrical Specialty Contracting at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; the University of Washington Mechanical Contractors Student Chapter; and the Washington State University MCA Student Chapter.

The Emerging Chapter Grant goes to chapters that are just starting or that may be faltering. In either case, the extra cash helps cover meeting expenses, field trips, Summit and convention travel and other expenses that keep those organizations viable and growing. Chapters that received the Emerging Chapter Grant this year are: the Illinois Valley MCA Student Chapter; the MCA of Cleveland Student Chapter at Kent State University; the Pittsburg State University MCA Student Chapter; the Student Consortium of Specialty Contractors at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; and the Northern California MCA-Construction Management Student Chapter at Chico State.

The student chapters’ faculty advisors must apply for the grant. Fifty percent of the grant funds must be allocated to student scholarships, and the faculty advisors decide who will receive those awards.

The Student Internship Grants went to contractors across the U.S. who hired interns either for summer jobs or for part-time work throughout the year. MCERF and committee members believe the grant helps open opportunities for aspiring young professionals to gain valuable work experience, learn more about the mechanical contracting industry and evaluate potential future employers. Employers benefit by getting an early look at a potential future hire and possibly learning new ways to accomplish tasks. 

The 2009 grants will be announced next January. Watch the weekly National Update and this column for more information. For more information on Student Chapter and Emerging Chapter Grants contact Ann Mattheis at amattheis@mcaa.org.