Landing a summer internship with a top company can be a much sought-after goal for many college students. But Kansas State University senior Greg Huschka, Wichita, received an extra bonus for his efforts: a $5,000 Pella Corporation Grant Award scholarship to be used for his senior year of studies in mechanical engineering.

The Pella Corporation, Pella, Iowa, recently presented the scholarships for the eighth consecutive year to select students in its internship/coop program. From 49 participants in the program this year, Huschka was one of six chosen to receive the scholarship based on his accomplishments during his period of employment, demonstrated leadership and personal interviews.

"Once you are hired, your manager and mentor have the choice to nominate you for the award," Huschka said. "After that, you prepare a professional resume and go through a panel interview. One or more of the interviewers are company vice presidents, so it's taken very seriously."

Huschka's internship was in the manufacturing and engineering services plant where projects involve improving the process of building, ordering and maintaining equipment used to build the machines that make Pella windows.

"The Pella internship program is amazing in that they treat you like a starting engineer by giving you real projects and the authority to deal with them as you wish," Huschka said.

This was not Huschka's first experience with Pella. He also participated in the company's coop program from May 2003 through January 2004, where he redesigned manufacturing line layouts to improve flow and accommodate new machines.

"I also led a five-day Kaizen team on a variety of topics. Kaizen stands for rapid improvement -- something the Pella Corporation believes in strongly," he said.

Promoting internships and coop involvement is a priority for the K-State College of Engineering.

"Approximately 80 percent of our students obtain professional outside experience prior to graduation," said Richard Gallagher, associate dean of engineering for academics and administration.

"Greg Huschka's accomplishments at Pella represent well the type of students we take pride in producing through our educational system: those ready to go out and meet the real-life challenges of an engineer, while exhibiting leadership skills and teamwork capability," Gallagher said. "We're very pleased with this recognition for Greg."

Huschka is a 2001 graduate of Wichita Northwest High School.

The Pella Corporation, founded in 1925, employs more than 9,000 staff members in 10 plants and 75 sales and services offices. For the last five years the company has been named to Fortune 500's list of the top 100 companies to work for.

K-State Media Relations 8/8/05