Spencer Calkins Receives Stoner Schmiege Scholarship

Kalamazoo Valley student Spencer Calkins of Greenville, Florida received the fall 2015 Stoner-Schmiege Award. The scholarship is awarded during each Wind Turbine Technician Academy to a student who is highly motivated and shows early dedication and commitment to the program. Calkins said he was honored to be chosen as the recipient.

In his scholarship application essay, Calkins wrote, “Being trapped in a career you dislike is a difficult thing, especially in a state whose employment opportunities are limited at best. A career change and an expensive move across the country was a huge risk, but a necessary one. I worked hard to get accepted and have everything in place before my move, which isn’t an easy thing to do from Florida. Picking up odd constructions jobs when available is also difficult, but worth the sacrifice to make ends meet, especially with two student loan payments looming in the near future. But looking ahead to a career in wind energy doing something I’ll enjoy, I don’t regret a single thing.”

The scholarship was established in 2011 by Janet Stoner and Rick Schmiege in support of Kalamazoo Valley’s Wind Turbine Technician Academy. Stoner and Schmiege are committed to continuing to fund the award. They have agreed to once again provide the funding for the WTTA award for the upcoming year and are are giving $10,000 to provide two scholarships a year at $5,000 each.

Calkins said he felt honored to receive the scholarship and said the training was phenomenal. “It’s a great program here at Kalamazoo Valley,” said Calkins, “It’s one of the best programs to be a part of in the nation.”

WTTA instructors also praised Calkins. They described him as a hard worker, a focused and driven individual, and a great team player who always stays on task and has completed all the work expected of him in the program. Instructors Tony Parcher, Lief Dozema, and Nate Giese all said, “He’s a good guy with a great sense of humor.”

The Wind Turbine Technician Academy provides a fast track to jobs that are in demand and pay high wages. Kalamazoo Valley offers this course as a non-credit, full time program allowing students the chance to be job-ready in less than six months. Students attend Monday through Friday, eight hours each day for 24 weeks.

More than 96 percent of WTTA alumni work in the wind industry, with the majority accepting offers for employment prior to graduation. The Academy is offered twice a year. The next academy begins on January 5, 2016. For more information call 269.353.1560 or email careeracademies@kvcc.edu or visit www.kvcc.edu/wind.