Meet the first class of the MCA scholarship program!

By Emma Peterson. 

Celebrate the inaugural year of the MCA scholarship and these first five recipients. 

2023 marked the first year of the Metal Construction Association’s (MCA) scholarship program. This was designed for MCA member company employees and their spouses, children and grandchildren who are pursuing higher education of any type, including trade programs, vocational schools and universities.  

This first year saw a myriad of outstanding applications, which was eventually narrowed down to these five MCA scholars. Each student was awarded $2,000 to pay towards school expenses. Special acknowledgement to the donors that made these awards possible: ATAS International Inc, Carlisle Architectural Metals, Drexel Metals, Pac-Clad, CIDAN Machinery Group, Isaiah Industries and Sheffield Metals International. Meet the scholars below!  

1 - Elizabeth Warren from Delta Building Products/ Interlock Roofing Delta, British Columbia 

Elizabeth is in the entry-to-practice doctor of pharmacy program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, where she also is secretary of the Pharmacy Evidence Appraisal Club. She expects to graduate in 2027. In her essay, she urged anyone who is suffering in silence and trying to manage their own challenges to reach out and seek help from trusted individuals. 

2 - Laiklyn Squyres of McElroy Metal Bossier City, Louisiana 

Completing her senior year of high school in Louisiana, Laiklyn is an outstanding student athlete. A teacher describes the varsity athlete as “driven, organized and a leader in the classroom and on the softball field.” She has been accepted to the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where she plans to seek a degree in physical therapy in the fall. She wrote her essay about the gratitude she has for tough situations she faced as a child that “help me become the person I am today and have the family and resources I have.” 

3 - Bryce Keirn of Sheffield Metals, Inc. Sheffield Village, Ohio 

A student at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Bryce is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering with an anticipated graduation date of May 2026. In his essay, Bryce discussed how his family’s decision to foster children created challenges but ultimately taught him about resilience, compassion and empathy. 

4 - Nathan Galinski from DuPont Wilmington, Delaware  

Nathan attends high school in New Jersey and is a member of the National and Spanish honor societies. In his essay, he wrote about how his father’s promotions have required the family to move, a challenge that ultimately taught him the significance of communication, consistency and new experiences. Nathan has been accepted at the University of Virginia, where he will follow in his father’s footsteps by seeking a degree in mechanical engineering. 

5 - Reymundo Bahena of McElroy Metal Houston, Texas 

Reymundo will graduate in 2026 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Woman’s University in Houston, Texas. In his essay, Reymundo addressed a moral challenge he faced when a colleague’s error left him having to choose what action to take when all possible paths could cause harm. Ultimately, his choice “reinforced the belief that choosing integrity and responsibility in adversity is a testament to professional character.” 

You can support incredible scholars like this class by donating to future scholarships today! Applications will open again in the winter.