Benton Foundry Endows Scholarship at Penn College

Published 06.15.2015

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A family-owned business spanning three generations is making a financial commitment to the next generation of Pennsylvania College of Technology students.

Benton Foundry Inc. recently endowed a scholarship, mainly for students in the School of Industrial, Computing & Engineering Technologies.



From left, Elizabeth A. Biddle, director of corporate relations at Penn College, and members of the Hall family who have owned Benton Foundry for nearly 60 years: Kimberly Kindler, JoAnn Hall and Jeff Hall, company president. Selection preference for the scholarship will be given to full- or part-time students who are employees of Benton Foundry Inc. or are immediate family members of Benton Foundry personnel and are enrolled in the following majors:

Associate degrees: automated manufacturing technology; electromechanical maintenance technology; electronics and computer engineering technology: electronics and computer engineering emphasis; electronics and computer engineering technology: robotics and automation emphasis; engineering CAD technology; machine tool technology; machinist general; and mechatronics engineering technology.

Bachelor’s degrees: applied management, electronics and computer engineering technology; engineering design technology; and manufacturing engineering technology.

Awards from the Benton Foundry Inc. Scholarship will be renewable if the recipient maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

“People’s perception of the word ‘foundry’ conjures up a dirty environment, hard manual labor and very dated manufacturing methods,” said Jeff Hall, president of the Benton Foundry. “That perception was true 150 years ago when Benton Foundry started. Today, Benton Foundry has migrated to an automated manufacturing plant that has spawned several first-in-the-world foundry innovations.

“That kind of innovation requires educated people in computer aided design, tooling design, robotics, as well as system and equipment integration. We have found that Penn College provides the curriculum and type of student necessary. Thus, establishing a scholarship at Penn College is an investment in people and indirectly Benton Foundry.”

Hall’s family has owned the foundry for nearly 60 years. Located a few miles outside of Benton, the facility is a state-of-the-art, gray- and ductile-iron jobbing foundry that supplies castings to a variety of industries.

“Benton Foundry demonstrates the value of ‘degrees that work,’ and I look forward to seeing many students benefiting from the company’s generosity,” said Elizabeth A. Biddle, director of corporate relations at Penn College.

Anyone interested in contributing to a scholarship or establishing one can send a donation to the Penn College Foundation, One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701; give online; or call the Institutional Advancement Office toll-free at 866-GIVE-2-PC (866-448-3272).

Students interested in applying for any of the more than 200 scholarships administered by the Penn College Foundation should complete the online scholarship application.

For more about Penn College go to Penn College, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.