Scholarships Offered for New Plastics Students at Penn College

New associate-degree students majoring in plastics and polymer technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology are eligible to receive $2,500 per semester up to $10,000 total toward the cost of their education, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative Scholarship Program.

To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must be a resident of Pennsylvania, enrolled in the plastics and polymer technology associate-degree major, demonstrate financial need, maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5, and plan to find employment in the plastics industry in Pennsylvania after graduation.

The scholarship will be automatically renewed for up to three additional semesters of full-time study, or five semesters of part-time study as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress and a cumulative GPA of 2.5. Part-time students will receive a prorated share, based on the number of credits for which they are enrolled.

The Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative is supported by a $3.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The state Department of Labor and Industry and its Workforce Investment Board, in collaboration with The Pennsylvania State University and Pennsylvanias local workforce investment boards, will use the grant funds to improve the competitiveness of the states plastics industry.

Students in the plastics engineering technology major at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College are also eligible to receive the Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative Scholarships.

The application deadline for the scholarships at Penn College is June 1. Those applying for the scholarships must also file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) preferably by May 1, in order to also be considered for a Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) state grant.

Graduates of the plastics program at Penn College are in high demand to fill plastics-industry positions. Average starting salaries for plastics graduates range from approximately $40,000 to $50,000.

Penn College plastics program graduates are employed at companies across Pennsylvania and the country. At least 1,500 plastics companies call Pennsylvania home, and many say there are not enough students entering the field to meet the increasing demand.

Applications for the Pennsylvania Plastics Initiative Scholarships are available through the Financial Aid Office at Penn College. For more information, call (570) 327-4766, or toll-free (800) 367-9222; send e-mail or visit online .

For more information about applying to Penn College, call toll-free (800) 367-9222, send e-mailor visit online.