We are pleased to share the SME Education Foundation’s Annual Report and reflect on another year of meaningful progress in strengthening the future of manufacturing. At a time when manufacturers across North America continue to face significant workforce shortages and widening skills gaps, the Foundation remains focused on a clear and essential mission: inspiring, preparing and supporting the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent.
This report highlights the collective impact made possible through the dedication of our partners, donors, educators, volunteers and students. Together, we are expanding access to manufacturing education, creating new pathways into high-demand technical careers, and helping strengthen the talent pipeline that is critical to the long-term competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.
Throughout the year, the Foundation continued to grow its reach and deepen its impact. Our programs are introducing more students to the possibilities of modern manufacturing, supporting schools in delivering industry-relevant technical education, and helping remove financial barriers for students pursuing manufacturing and engineering degrees. These efforts ensure that students across the country are gaining exposure to emerging technologies, developing in-demand skills, and building confidence in their ability to succeed in technical careers.
Equally important is the expanding network of manufacturers, educators and community partners working alongside us to advance this mission. Their shared commitment reflects a growing recognition that developing the next generation of skilled talent is essential to the strength, resilience and innovation capacity of our industry.
This work would not be possible without the generosity and partnership of our many supporters. We invite you to explore this report to learn more about the programs, partnerships and people shaping the future of manufacturing.
With gratitude,
Erica Powell Bell President SME Education Foundation Board of Directors
Rob Luce Vice President SME Education Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of SME, a mission-driven, national nonprofit dedicated to advancing the North American manufacturing industry to drive competitiveness, resiliency and national security, the SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. Established in 1979, the Foundation works to empower youth to pursue careers in manufacturing through three distinct programs — Bright Minds Student Summits, SME PRIME and student scholarships.
INSPIRE PREPARE SUPPORT
Bright Minds Student Summits give high school students a front-row seat to the future of manufacturing. Through guided show-floor tours, live tech demos and engaging competitions, students explore the latest innovations and connect directly with manufacturers — opening their eyes to exciting career paths in advanced manufacturing.
In 2025, the SME Education Foundation hosted six student summits at SME events. Nearly 1,000 students from 51 schools across the country took advantage of the chance to explore advancements in manufacturing technology, discover career opportunities, and compete to win 3D printers and be inspired by displays depicting the industry’s future.
from schools
Nearly 1,000 students participated.
“I really enjoy the opportunity to educate these young men and women. I think it’s really a privilege and an opportunity to help show them what is available out there in the world.”
The SkillsUSA Additive Manufacturing Competition, launched in 2013 through a partnership between SME and Stratasys, was created to educate and challenge students through hands-on, real-world experiences that prepare them for future success in manufacturing. Since its inception, the competition has engaged nearly 700 students.
The 2025 competition theme, Driving the Future: AM for Electric Vehicles , challenged 50 two-person teams from postsecondary, high school and middle school programs — representing 40 schools across 34 states — to design and produce prototypes for the next generation of electric vehicles. With CAD support from Autodesk, students used Stratasys 3D printers to produce nearly 500 parts over the course of three days in Atlanta, applying additive manufacturing principles to bring their ideas to life.
As part of the competition, students took the SME Additive Manufacturing Fundamentals Certification Exam, an industry-recognized credential that validates foundational knowledge of additive manufacturing technologies and essential safety practices.
“We’ve gotten to work with so many amazing people and amazing equipment, and learned so much about additive manufacturing.”
“It really pushed our limits in additive manufacturing and design. The challenge was quite difficult, and it was really fun to compete”
— Braxton Todd, Postsecondary Silver Medal Winner, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah
— Evelyn Ecks, Competitor, Doherty High School, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Bright Minds Student Summits
Middle School Winners
Gold
Alfred Lyon and Ishaan Sarker
Sleepy Hill Middle School
Lakeland, Florida
Silver
Logan Cowger and Shane Lynch
Peotone Junior High School
Peotone, Illinois
Bronze
Delilah Sales and Nolan Thibodeaux
Nellie N. Coffman Middle School
Cathedral City, California
High School Winners
Gold
Ayden Fajardo and Maxwell Lopez
Gloucester County Institute of Technology
Sewell, New Jersey
Silver
Brian Bang and Kyan Dunn
Career Tech High School
George, Utah
Bronze
Jaydon Leonard and Baydon Stanley
Davie High School
Mocksville, North Carolina
Postsecondary Winners
Gold
Justin Davis and Jason Hursh
Calhoun Community College
Decatur, Alabama
Silver
Will Schofield and Braxton Todd Utah Valley University Orem, Utah
Bronze
Jorge Martinez and Autumn Sereno
Texas State Tech College
Marshall, Texas
By the 100 Numbers 50 40 34 students teams schools states
Engineering Student Explores Options With Help of SME’s Mentorship Program
Grace Kirby may only be 19 and a college freshman, but she’s already a seasoned business owner. She and her mother, Amy, co-founded a snack company called Creative Crispies, which creates and customizes 3D-shaped Rice Krispie treats and a snackable cluster mix, in 2019. August 2026 will mark the seventh anniversary of the company, which has more than $1 million in sales to date.
A student in the integrated business and engineering honors program at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Kirby is weighing her future options, which may include taking over full control of Creative Crispies or starting a company of her own. In the meantime, she’s pursuing a dual degree in engineering and finance. She’s also enrolled in the Bright Minds Student Mentorship Program, which is designed to help SME Education Foundation scholarship recipients find qualified, approved mentors to help guide their manufacturing educations and careers.
Kirby applied for the mentorship program after attending the 2025 SME Awards Gala, where she received the Irving P. McPhail Scholarship. She and her mentor, Sathwik Reddy Toom, a research engineer in East Chicago, had their first virtual meeting in January 2026 and plan to meet monthly.
“He’s truly wanting to help in any way he can,” says Kirby about Toom. “We’re even talking about trying to get me into some industry conferences to explore different manufacturing industries, because right now I’m just focused on the food manufacturing industry.”
Kirby says she’s honored to be part of the mentorship program because it’s helped her talk to people in the field. “It’s truly a one-of-a-kind program,” she says. “Just having someone who’s willing to support you who you’ve never met before — someone who is, like, ‘You’ve got this, you can do it’ — is an amazing experience.”
Currently enrolled in Lehigh’s 4+1 accelerated programs, Kirby will be able to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in just five years.
Having been interested in manufacturing since childhood, when she regularly viewed the TV show “How It’s Made,” Kirby says she loves to see how raw material can be turned into something useful. “I really like the manufacturing part of engineering, and I want to focus on a career in that,” she says. “For me — having grown up watching a manufacturing business developing from the ground up — every little thing was so interesting to me. I really want that love and that spirit in my day-to-day job, because I want to be enjoying something that I do.”
Regarding her mentorship experience, she says, “I’m so honored to be considered for this opportunity. SME is an amazing organization and I really hope I have the opportunity to work with it in the future. It’s truly opened up so many doors for me in college and in the manufacturing industry. Sometimes it’s about who you meet, and I feel like SME is really about embodying that mentorship program, and helping students connect and grow so they can be successful when they’re older.”
Grace
“For me — having grown up watching a manufacturing business developing from the ground up — every little thing was so interesting to me.”
Launched in 2011, SME PRIME® (Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education) partners private industry with academia to build custom manufacturing and engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, teacher training, student scholarships and funding for extracurricular activities and program sustainability.
Tailored to meet the needs of local manufacturers, SME PRIME:
Serves
12,000
STUDENTS
Is aligned with more than
128 26 45
SCHOOLS
375+
CORE PATHWAYS
• Additive Manufacturing
• CAD/CAM
• Metrology and Quality
INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS (IRCs)
Engaged Since 2022
Most importantly, leads
15,000+ in across
ELECTIVE PATHWAYS
• Industrial Maintenance
• Machining and Fabrication
• Mechatronics and Robotics
• Welding
91%
Students have earned
IRCs since 2022 STATES
of SME PRIME seniors to pursue MANUFACTURING post-graduation MANUFACTURERS
States with SME PRIME schools
SME PRIME at a Glance
of SCHOOLS
qualified for FREE and reduced rate LUNCHES qualified for TITLE I support 18% 82% of students identified as male of students identified as female 45% 54%
of
STUDENTS
“By investing in programs like SME PRIME, Corning supports local schools in providing the industry-relevant skills needed for meaningful, high-tech careers. As a global manufacturing leader, Corning recognizes the importance of empowering students to shape the future of manufacturing, and, in turn, foster stronger communities.”
— Millicent Ruffin, PhD, Division Vice President, Corning Community Impact, Corning Inc., Corning, New York
SME PRIME Helps Proviso West Students Excel
Since launching the SME PRIME® program, students at Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois, have earned thousands of manufacturing certifications, won industry competitions and secured local apprenticeships.
Click here to read the
story.
SME PRIME continued its impressive growth in 2025, launching in seven new schools across five states and reflecting a nationwide need for career and technical education programs in manufacturing. Funding was secured in 2025 to support the launch of 11 additional schools in 2026 across Kentucky, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
Alabama Accel Academy
Kentucky Ludlow High School
Kentucky Holmes High School
Michigan Paw Paw High School
Michigan Eastpointe High School
New York West Islip High School
Pennsylvania New Hope-Solebury High School
SME PRIME Distributions
% $21.3 million
Across the network, the SME Education Foundation distributed $3 million to its SME PRIME schools in 2025, by way of advanced manufacturing equipment, curriculum, teacher training and student engagement activities. in total distributions since 2019
The Foundation partners with a dedicated team of industry leaders and educational organizations to provide high-tech, industrial-grade equipment plus curriculum, teacher training and career exploration services to SME PRIME schools.
SME PRIME schools benefit from the support of Tooling U-SME, the workforce development division of SME, and an industry leader and advocate, working with thousands of companies that include more than half of all Fortune 500 ® manufacturers and over 1,000 educational institutions across the country. Leveraging its deep awareness and institutional knowledge of national and regional manufacturing workforce trends, Tooling U-SME supports SME PRIME programs at the institutional level through intentional and tailored program design.
Unique program curriculum plans informed by local research, including workforce needs assessments that identify specific talent demands of neighborhood employers, guide SME PRIME program development. As a result, each SME PRIME program is strategically positioned to prepare students for successful entry into the manufacturing workforce locally, regionally and nationally. This locally aligned, regionally responsive and nationally relevant model of manufacturing-focused education is made possible through the collective workforce expertise and industry insight of SME.
The SME Education Foundation and SME’s Workforce Development teams are working together to better align secondary and post-secondary education by connecting SME PRIME programs with community colleges. Through this collaboration, we are closing critical workforce gaps and strengthening the skilled talent pipeline that supports America’s defense capabilities.
The SME Maritime Manufacturing Workforce Pipeline – Gulf Coast initiative is a multi-state effort to strengthen the maritime and manufacturing talent pipeline across the region. Partnering with six community colleges and nine high schools in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, the program supports aligned career pathways, modernized CTE and dual-enrollment programs, and access to industry-recognized credentials. The program supports nine new in-house high school CTE programs modeled after successful SME PRIME initiatives, including industry-grade equipment, curriculum, instructor training and program support. Together, these efforts are building a robust maritime manufacturing ecosystem that prepares students and workers for high-skill, high-demand careers critical to regional growth and national security.
Sustainability
One of SME PRIME’s most unique benefits and differentiating factors is sustainability funding. Once schools have fully developed SME PRIME programs, they are eligible and encouraged to apply to the Foundation for a sustainability grant, to help maintain and grow their respective programs.
Providing long-term added value, sustainability funding serves as the basis of the continued partnership between the Foundation and its SME PRIME network.
$395,000 48
This ongoing fundraising effort and program support are critical to sustaining these initiatives. Schools can use sustainability grants to purchase additional equipment, service existing equipment, procure materials and supplies, provide professional development, enhance curriculum or underwrite the cost of student engagement activities. schools awarded awarded in 2025
“The SME PRIME Sustainability Award allows us to keep growing our program and providing our students with opportunities they might not have otherwise. This investment directly impacts our students’ futures by giving them skills and certifications that make them career-ready the moment they graduate.”
— Christopher Desmond, Educator, Hopewell High School, Huntersville, North Carolina
AdrianAlramo
“The SME PRIME program showed me that engineering is possible for me, and that it is the future I want to pursue and commit to.”
Student Rediscovers ‘Sense of Purpose’ Through SME PRIME
When Adrian Alramo first came to the United States two years ago at the age of 17, he had no direction, no clear plan and limited options. He had just arrived from Turkey, where he and his family lived as refugees for 10 years after fleeing Mosul, Iraq, during the rise of ISIS. Then he became part of the SME PRIME® program at the INVEST School of Engineering, part of the INVEST Roosevelt Alternative High School in Hazel Park, a Detroit suburb.
As an SME PRIME school, INVEST provides students with four different advanced manufacturing pathways: Metrology and Quality, CAD/CAM, Additive Manufacturing, and Mechatronics and Robotics. Students benefit from curriculum, equipment and training focused on career fields such as robotics and additive manufacturing.
“Through SME PRIME, I developed the skills, discipline and confidence that helped me rediscover my sense of purpose,” says Alramo. “The program showed me that engineering is possible for me, and that it is the future I want to pursue and commit to.”
On his first day at INVEST, Alramo met Neran Kalasho, who, with her husband, Asaad, founded the school. “I went to her office, and she took the time to really talk to me and understand my situation,” he says. “She told me that if I followed a plan and stayed focused and diligent with my classes, I would graduate.”
That was the turning point for Alramo. Initially discouraged after being turned down as a student by several high schools in Michigan, where he and his family had relocated, he followed his case worker’s recommendation to try the INVEST Roosevelt Alternative High School. “It turned out to be exactly what I needed,” he says. “I started there, and about a year later I joined the INVEST School of Engineering.”
Now he’s doing well both academically and personally. “I have all A’s, I’m in student council, and I’m always involved in volunteering with school and community events,” he says. He also will be a member of the INVEST team competing in the FIRST U.S. Robotics Competition.
Positioned to graduate from INVEST as a junior, Alramo plans to study electrical engineering in college. He has applied to several Detroit-area schools, including Oakland University and Wayne State University.
“I’m not fully set yet, but I’m grateful to have good options,” he says.
As for his future career, Alramo says that in the short term, he’d like to get an engineering internship so he can gain real-world experience. In the long term, he’d like to create his own technology company.
Before enrolling at INVEST and becoming part of the SME PRIME program, Alramo says he never imagined he would be studying engineering or taking advanced math classes. “I did not think school would help me discover what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and I almost did not take the opportunity,” he recalls. “But being part of the engineering program and SME PRIME helped me see that this could be a real career path for me. It honestly changed my life.”
Student Mentorship
The SME Education Foundation leads the nation’s largest manufacturing-focused scholarship program, awarding 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 — including, but not limited to, young women and other underrepresented communities.
The Foundation has AWARDED OVER $19 million 6,000
to more than future INDUSTRY LEADERS since 2005
Number of Scholarship Awards in 2025 scholarship applications reviewed of scholarships awarded to women and people of color scholarships awarded
1,705 139 49%
$6,174 33% 37%
Scholarship Impact
Awardees from colleges and universities states and province enrolled in 95 30 U.S. 1 Canadian 2025 Year in Review
Average Award Amount
Renewing Awards
Percentage
Need-Based Awards
Percentage
College Dreams Achieved With SME Scholarships
Jasmine Brown and Samantha Hiller are studying machining and engineering at Polk State College in Winter Haven, Florida, with the help of the SME Education Foundation’s Dr. Irving P. McPhail Endowed Scholarship. In addition to receiving scholarships, both students are members of the SME Bright Minds Mentorship Program.
Click here to read the full story.
Charles L. Shor, Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation and UltiMaker (Makerbot) provided funding for three new scholarships in 2025.
Charles L. Shor Scholarship
Designed to provide need-based scholarships to recent high school graduates in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, the funds will be awarded to students pursuing manufacturing or manufacturing-related degrees.
Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Scholarship for Neurodiverse Students
Made possible by a grant of more than $200,000 from the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, this scholarship aims to remove financial barriers and create new career pathways for students with autism and other neurodiverse disabilities, helping them pursue paths in manufacturing and engineering.
UltiMaker (MakerBot) Scholarship
Aiming to empower students from underrepresented, low-income communities to pursue degrees in engineering and manufacturing, the MakerBot Scholarship awards one student $20,000 over the course of four years. This support helps remove financial barriers and expands access to opportunities for passionate innovators who are shaping the future of the industry.
Mentorship
The Bright Minds Student Mentorship Program connects scholarship recipients with experienced SME member professionals. Through one-on-one guidance, students gain industry insight, encouragement and clarity as they navigate their professional paths, while mentors help shape the next generation of manufacturing leaders.
Launched in 2023 as part of the SME Education Foundation Community of Scholars network, the mentorship program extends learning beyond the classroom with meaningful connections and career-focused support. As members of this select scholarship community, students receive exclusive benefits, including a complimentary one-year SME student membership, access to Tooling U-SME professional development, career resources and more. Our mission is to help students build the skills, confidence and networks needed for long-term success.
Mentee Growth Over the Years
“I think mentorship is a very fulfilling, and, honestly, an easy way to give back and pay it forward to the upcoming generations.”
— Corey Dahlberg, Mechanical Design Engineer, Sloan Valve Co., Franklin Park, Illinois
“I can’t recommend enough that students try to get into a ‘menteeship’ position because it’s been so unbelievably
‘Nothing’s Off the Table’ in SME Mentorship Program
Click here to read the full story.
— Sam Schroeder, Student,
Kai Collins wanted to build his network. Darnell Billups wanted to connect with the next generation of manufacturing talent. The SME Bright Minds Student Mentorship Program matched them in January 2025. “Nothing’s off the table,” Collins says.
SME Education Foundation Scholarships Support Midlife Career Change
When Stephanie Kendall took her oldest son to check out the engineering program at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) in 2023, she wasn’t expecting to enroll in the program herself.
“But the head of the program was just so compelling, and everything he talked about sounded so good, that I was like, ‘I’m enrolling too,’ she says with a laugh.
At the time, she had been working as a daycare operator for 20 years. But the engineering program aligned so well with what had been a lifelong interest in “fixing things” that she decided to take a leap of faith and dive into a different career at the age of 43.
“It aligns with everything that I’ve done in my life as a hobby,” she says.
Kendall is a month away from earning dual degrees in semiconductor manufacturing and engineering technology, and has also achieved two certifications, Semiconductor Manufacturing and Industrial Electrician Tier 1.
Since September 2025, she has also interned as a manufacturing engineer at ArmorSource, which manufactures military and police helmets, in Hebron, Ohio.
Kendall was able to go back to school and switch careers with the help of two scholarships from the SME Education Foundation, the 2025-26 FANUC Endowed Scholarship and the 2025-26 Honda Excellence in Manufacturing award.
“Without them, I probably wouldn’t be graduating next month,” she says. Kendall’s wife, who owns her own business, had become the sole breadwinner for a time, and with a household that included four teenage children, seven dogs and a cockatiel, Kendall says, “It was kind of difficult to let go of my daycare money.”
But every time money started getting tight, Kendall says, “I would get some scholarship money and we’d be O.K.”
Noting that she wasn’t a good high school student, Kendall says she can’t believe how she’s changed over the years. “I love learning,” she says. “I don’t know why I didn’t as a kid, but I sure do now.”
That attitude has translated into numerous academic achievements at COTC, where Kendall has been on either the Dean’s List or President’s List every semester, and currently has a 3.8 grade point average. She’s also the vice president of fellowship for her school’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, a prestigious academic honor society for two-year colleges.
What’s next? Kendall says she’d like to have at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering, if not a master’s. Regarding her ultimate career goal, she says, “I want to do something that brings me peace and makes me feel like my life was worth something, like I left some kind of value behind.”
She’d also like to inspire people to go back to school. “I’d like to show them that it doesn’t matter how old you are and it doesn’t matter what you chose to begin with, you can always change your mind.”
Her goal of inspiration starts at home, where she’s involved in friendly academic competitions with her kids. “I’m like, hey, look at my grade in algebra, what did you get?” she says, adding, “I’m making a huge difference in their attitude toward school.”
Stephanie K endall
“I want to do something that brings me peace and makes me feel like my life was worth something — like I left some kind of value behind.”
Giving
At the heart of our mission is a commitment to preparing the next generation of manufacturing leaders. By expanding access to real-world learning opportunities, we help students turn curiosity into thriving careers.
This impact is only possible through the support of our partners and donors, who help deliver hands-on experiences that open doors for students and strengthen the future manufacturing workforce. Together, we not only support students, we shape the future of the industry.
Corporate and Foundation Giving
Thank you for helping make this mission possible.
Haworth Trust
Alongside corporate partners, individual contributors help provide the resources needed to inspire, prepare and support future manufacturers and engineers. More than 350 individual donors played a vital role in advancing the Foundation’s work in 2025.
In 2025, more than individual donors contributed to the Foundation
Donor Highlight Individual Giving
Shaping the Future of Manufacturing
Thanks to the support of the Charles L. Shor Foundation, two Kentucky schools — Ludlow High School and Holmes High School — have joined the SME PRIME network.
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“We want to be more than grant makers; we want to be difference makers. SME PRIME is making a difference. That’s where we want to invest.”
— Gerry Otto, CEO, Charles L. Shor Foundation
Governance
The SME Education Foundation Board of Directors brings together leaders from industry and academia. As the Foundation’s governing body, the board provides strategic guidance, diverse expertise and real-world perspective to ensure programs remain relevant, impactful and aligned with workforce needs.
2025 FOUNDATION OFFICERS
Secretary/Treasurer Andrew M. “Andy” Jones Portfolio Manager Seizert Capital Partners
2025 OUTGOING FOUNDATION DIRECTORS
Mark Michalski
An active SME member since 1992, Michalski has held numerous leadership roles across the organization, including chapter officer, committee and council chair, and president of the SME Board of Directors. He has been a member of the SME Board of Directors since 2010 and a member of the SME Education Foundation Board of Directors since 2022. Through these roles, Michalski has made significant and lasting contributions to the SME community.
JoAnne P. Williams, JD
and Administration
Williams joined the SME Education Foundation Board of Directors for a three-year term in 2022, the same year she became an SME member. Drawing on her role overseeing financial resources at Fairfield University, she served as an active and impactful member of the board’s Finance Committee.
2025 FOUNDATION DIRECTORS
Frank Ervin III
Group Vice President Government Affairs
Piston Group LLC (retired)
Valerie Freeman Manufacturing and Robotics Teacher Washington Park High School
Arthur F. “Art” McClellan Jr.
Director of Supplier Diversity and Development Lear Corp.
Matthew Hilgendorf, PE
Chief Operating Officer
Acme Industries
Joseph A. “Joe” Kann
President Cobble Creek Solutions
John Miller
Senior Vice President
Mainstream Engineering
Siemens Digital Industries Software
Christopher A. “Chris” Rake
Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer
FIRST
Selin Sirinterlikci
Corporate Strategy Analyst and MBA Fellow
General Motors
2026 INCOMING FOUNDATION DIRECTOR
Dianne Chong, PhD, FSME, NAE
The Boeing Co. (retired)
Chong previously served as a vice president within The Boeing Co.’s Engineering, Operations and Technology organization. She currently serves on the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Council, co-chairs EngineerGirl and contributes to multiple NAE committees. Chong is also a past president and Fellow of SME, and was on the SME board from 2015-2023.
