Gene Haas Foundation Grant Supports AMET Program Scholarships

(L-R) Dr. Ann L. Pipinski, President & CEO; Frank Capaldi, Sales Engineer, Haas Factory Outlet/Phillips; Tracey Pratt, Manager of Development; and Andrew Zwanch, ’82, Senior Director of Student Affairs.

Johnson College’s Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology (AMET) program  allows students to train on CNC machines, lathes, 3D printers, drones, and robots. Launched in 2015, these students and graduates have will play an important role in the future of manufacturing  and technology.

In support of this new degree, the College recently received a $5,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to support students in the AMET program. The grant will provide scholarships to current and future students as they progress through their education to become part of the advanced manufacturing workforce. According to the foundation’s website, Gene Haas established the foundation in 1991 to fund the needs of the local community. Haas is the owner of Haas Automation, Inc., America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools, which he started in 1983. Gene’s commitment to the importance of US manufacturing prompted him to grow his personal foundation and direct his foundation board to focus on manufacturing education in the form of scholarships for CNC machinist training. To date, more than 4,000 charitable organizations and schools have received funds totaling over 50 million dollars from the Gene Haas Foundation.

Andrew Zwanch, ’82, Sr. Director of Student Affairs said, “The grant from the Haas Foundation will support the type of student who is eager to break into the newest technologies in automation and additive manufacturing. These scholarships will certainly set our students up for a promising career.” In the 2017-18 academic year, every student of the AMET program will benefit from the grant by receiving funds to pursue or continue their education.