The Gene Haas Foundation has awarded St. Cloud State University $20,000 to support student scholarships in the Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MFET) program. All students enrolled in the program will receive a scholarship.
This marks the second consecutive year of support from the foundation, following an $18,000 scholarship grant last year.
MFET faculty members Jungwon Ahn, Mike Sundblad and Mark Schroll, along with Department of Engineering Chair Ken Miller and Office Manager Charlotte Murphy, accepted a check highlighting the grant on Oct. 27. Robert Geiwitz, Jake Christian and Hope Riska from Productivity Inc., the local Haas Factory Outlet in Plymouth, Minnesota, presented the check at SCSU.
“We are grateful to the Gene Haas Foundation for supporting our students for the second consecutive year,” said Dr. Jungwon Ahn, MFET program director and a 2025 Outstanding Educator. “Many of our students work in industry while pursuing their degrees, and I am continually impressed by their hard work and dedication. These scholarships help support their education and recognize their commitment to careers in manufacturing.”
SCSU’s Manufacturing Engineering Technology program emphasizes practical, hands-on learning that meets industry needs, including experience with Haas Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining equipment. Students in the program engage with local manufacturers and apply their knowledge to real manufacturing challenges through plant tours, class projects and senior capstone projects.
The scholarship funding supports these future manufacturing professionals as they develop the technical knowledge and skills needed by employers throughout Minnesota and beyond.
Established in 1999 by Haas Automation founder Gene Haas, the Gene Haas Foundation supports manufacturing education through student scholarships, CNC competitions and partnerships with training programs. Its work helps expand access to manufacturing education and develop the next generation of skilled manufacturing professionals.
