Prent Scholarships Encourage Next Generation of Packaging Leaders

 

JANESVILLE, WI—June 11, 2007—Prent Corporation recently awarded scholarships totaling nearly $14,000 to two University of Wisconsin-Stout students for the 2007-2008 academic year. Both students are pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Package Engineering from the University’s College of Technology, Engineering and Management.

 

UW-Stout is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University and the first recipient of a Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award in higher education.

 

Prent Corp, headquartered in Janesville, WI, is a leading international designer and manufacturer of thermoform packaging for the medical and electronics industries.  Over the years the company has awarded more than $500,000 to students and universities to advance the study of packaging, thermoforming and engineering.

 

Prent President and CEO Joe Pregont—himself a graduate of UW-Stout’s packaging program—is a firm believer in helping train the next generation of packaging professionals.

                                                                               

“Whether it’s awarding student scholarships, assisting student packaging organizations, advancing the scholarship programs of our trade associations, or helping universities develop or expand packaging programs, it’s critical we support students and academic centers of excellence to ensure the best-and-brightest consider packaging as a career path,” says Pregont.

 

The recipients of the 2006 Prent Scholarships at UW-Stout are Matthew Schrapp of Andover, MN and Maggie Turner of Chetek, WI.

 

“The Prent Scholarship will definitely help me financially and allow me more free time to focus on school,” says Maggie. 

 

A high school physics teacher first introduced Maggie to the world of packaging.  “Since then,” says this energetic young woman who expects to graduate in 2008, “I’ve found there’s something for everybody in this field. The demand for package engineers is amazing. The opportunities are everywhere.  The future salaries are excellent.  And,” she points out, “the placement rate from UW-Stout’s program is 100%.”

 

In addition to her academic studies, Maggie will be interning this fall with the Target Corporation.  She previously interned with IBM.

 

While Maggie is focusing on consumer packaging, Matthew Schrapp’s interest is in packaging research and development.  “The Prent Scholarship is a very big deal for me,” reports this sophomore who’s completely paying his own way through college. “I’m so grateful and honored to have been selected.  I still have to work to pay the rent, but now I don’t have to worry about tuition next year.”

 

Matthew’s father, a former Purchasing Manager with Land O Lakes who worked closely with Packaging Engineers, was the first person to suggest his son consider a major in packaging.  “I now see how interesting it is and want to pursue it even further.”