Dematic announces 2023 STEM scholarship winners

Posted on Aug 30, 2023 in Shifting Gears

Dematic FIRST® Scholarships support students pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) educations

Dematic announces the 2023 recipients of its Dematic FIRST® Scholarship program, which honors students pursuing careers in STEM-related industries. Now in its third year, this scholarship program further demonstrates Dematic’s commitment to future leaders and innovators in supply chain and logistics by supporting corporate nonprofit, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

Scholarship honorees include students Jace Flansburg from Ramsey, Minnesota, and Lukas Goodworth from Goleta, California, who were each awarded $5,000 to put toward a post-secondary degree or technical certification. Dematic also awarded 10 additional $1,000 scholarships to Matthew Carroll, Miles Frewert, Rajat Gupta, Alydia Jura, Richard Louvar, Jack Meyer, Sebastian Romna, Navya Swali, Tanush Vanarase, and Andrew Yellin.

Mike Larsson

“Each year, I am impressed by the remarkable talent showcased by these scholarship recipients,” says Mike Larsson, executive vice president, Americas, Dematic. “I’ve seen firsthand the impact that FIRST has on future STEM leaders, and this real-world experience is vital as they begin their careers. This was the most competitive group of applicants in the scholarship’s history, and the increased interest in the program underscores the importance of investing in STEM education to empower the next generation.”

This year’s scholarship program received a 25% increase in applications from last year. Dematic executives reviewed all applications, selecting honorees based on their academic excellence and commitment to pursuing a future in STEM. The program requires applicants to provide their transcripts, a one-page essay discussing a future where humans and machines interact in the warehouse, and a letter of recommendation. In addition, they must have previously competed in a FIRST Robotics Competition or FIRST Tech Challenge.

“My experience learning and competing with FIRST during high school is what cemented my interest in pursuing a STEM degree during college,” says Lukas Goodworth, mechanical engineering student at Westmont College. “I’m extremely honored to be awarded the Dematic FIRST Scholarship, and I’m grateful for the opportunities it provides as I continue my education at Westmont College and start my career.”

Dematic employees volunteer their time and talent to local FIRST teams, providing mentorship and guidance to students. Within the last year, Dematic sponsored 17 FIRST teams throughout the country and donated $65,000 to the nonprofit to support students as they prepare for competitions and careers in STEM.

Scholarship Winners (Name, Hometown, College/University Attending, Scholarship Amount):

Jace Flansburg

Ramsey, Minn.

University of Minnesota at Twin Cities

$5,000

Lukas Goodworth

Goleta, Calif.

Westmont College

$5,000

Matthew Carroll

Waukesha, Wis.

University of Wisconsin at Platteville

$1,000

Miles Frewert

Carson City, Nev.

University of Nevada at Reno

$1,000

Rajat Gupta

Cincinnati, Ohio

Georgia Institute of Technology

$1,000

Alydia Jura

Ann Arbor, Mich.

University of Michigan

$1,000

Richard Louvar

Redmond, Ore.

Oregon State University

$1,000

Jack Meyer

Rogers, Ark.

Texas A&M University

$1,000

Sebastian Roman

West Islip, N.Y.

Purdue University

$1,000

Navya Swali

Prosper, Texas

University of Texas at Austin

$1,000

Tanush Vanarase

Norwalk, Conn.

University of Connecticut

$1,000

Andrew Yellin

Zelienople, Pa.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

$1,000