“We are very proud of the 14 young people chosen as recipients this year. We hope they will follow in the footsteps of previous GPDA scholarship winners who have gone on to achieve academic and professional success. We look forward to watching them pursue their dreams of a higher education,” says Gerald Abbott, manager sales communications and programs, Xylem.
All 14 recipients of the GPDA scholarships are children of Goulds Professional Dealers Association members. The GPDA is the industry’s oldest and largest association comprised of more than 7,000 independent water systems professionals.
This year’s scholarship recipients are:
- Casey Zarger,
Greencastle, Pennsylvania
- Elizabeth Kolodziejczak,
Bath, New York
- Hannah McGovern, Highgate,
Vermont
- Caden Burk, Monte Vista,
Colorado
- Samantha Welch, Midland,
Texas
- Taven Robinson, Altavista,
Virginia
- Deandrea Vickery, Double
Springs, Alabama
- Shay Steinbeisser, Sidney,
Montana
- Cameron Croonquist, Portland,
Oregon
- Gabriel Jenson, Eau Claire,
Wisconsin
- Jeremy Schimmoeller, Fort
Jennings, Ohio
- Allie Polohonki, Falls Creek,
Virginia
- Jenna Cassidy, Miramichi,
Canada
- Travis Clelland, Loring, Canada
In the years since the GPDA scholarship program was formed, nearly 150 high school seniors have been awarded scholarships based on academic achievement, community service and leadership. In addition, Xylem has created the Future Professional Dealers of America, a program of GPDA, where young people aspiring to follow in their parents’ footsteps receive technical information, training and support to further their studies.
Independent dealers also receive extensive technical and product training through GPDA. Since Goulds Water Technology established its education center for customers in the early 1960s, the company has graduated more than 20,000 independent dealers and distributors.