In 2008, the SME Education Foundation began a long-term partnership with PPG, an industrial coatings provider, by administering a scholarship for the PPG Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PPG. PPG has also been a consistent exhibitor at FABTECH for many years, an event co-sponsored by SME. In 2025, PPG Foundation is re-engaging with the SME Education Foundation by funding two scholarships: one for a four-year university student and one for a two-year community college student.
“The SME Education Foundation’s work is greatly aligned with our priorities to support talented students pursuing their studies, and ensure they have the tools and resources they need to be successful,” says Malesia Dunn, executive director of PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility of PPG. “They do a great job of finding applicable students who are in need in STEM educational areas, and who are interested in pursuing STEM careers.”
About PPG, Dunn says, “As a science and technology company, we know how important a skilled STEM workforce is to create stronger, more sustainable communities. We support organizations like the SME Education Foundation to help create a pool of students who are prepared to enter in-demand STEM jobs.”
As far as the PPG Foundation’s involvement in STEM scholarships, Dunn says, “We provide financial support to a number of different organizations, including the SME Education Foundation, to help support individuals who might be interested in pursuing careers in STEM. We seek to build the next generation of innovative leaders in STEM by inspiring learning and cultivating careers for primary, secondary, and post-secondary students.”
Pointing out that college and university costs can be challenging, Dunn says, “Ideally, we don’t want those costs to be a barrier to pursuing what could be a fantastic career in STEM. Offering scholarships really helps students pursue their STEM dreams and gives them support in moving on into a career.”
As for the PPG Foundation’s newest scholarships, which provide continuous funds to students over a prescribed period of time, Dunn says she thinks, “they give those students a bit of comfort knowing they can count on those dollars to help them each of those years while they’re getting their education.”
Regarding the PPG Foundation’s relationship with the SME Education Foundation going forward, Dunn says, “I’d really like to see the partnership continue to grow. I’d like to see these scholarships helping students moving into career fields and coming into their own in their respective worlds, whether they work for PPG or any other organization in this particular field in the future. We would love the opportunity to see these students really flourish in their careers, and having the SME Education Foundation help them is important to get them to that finish line.”
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