Each spring, the Whirlpool Foundation bestows several scholarships to the children of Whirlpool Corporation employees. A total of 18 $24,000 Scholarships, 13 $2,500 Honor Awards, and seven $1,000 Incentive Awards were given to high school seniors across Whirlpool locations in the United States, including three from Cleveland.
“I am consistently impressed by the caliber of students applying for this scholarship each year,” says Jeff Noel, president of the Whirlpool Foundation. “While Whirlpool Corporation is the largest home appliance company in the world, our values remain rooted in the small, family-owned business the Upton’s started almost 104 years ago. We share in the pride our employees have for their children and are quite pleased in the way they, through their parents’ guidance, represent us in our communities."
The merit based program in conducted in as fair a way as possible, said officials. Each competition site is established based upon employee population allowing each applicant the same percentage chance of winning an award. Community leaders are utilized as judges, not Whirlpool employees. Applications are evaluated on grades, test scores, activities, awards, essay and references. Based on application scores, finalists are chosen to move on to a final round of interviews. A program is used to weigh the scores in each area for both the application and interview round with the judges unaware of the weighing scale. The combined scores determine the winners of the Scholarship and Honor Awards and then Incentive Awards are chosen through a random drawing of all remaining original applicants.
The 2015 Whirlpool Foundation Sons & Daughters Scholarship Program winners from Cleveland are Mary Klepzig the Scholarship Award, Abigail Bentley the Honor Award and Emily Clark the Incentive Award.
The Whirlpool Foundation was established over half a century ago with the intent of improving the quality of life in the communities where Whirlpool operates. Starting in 1952, the Sons & Daughters Scholarship Program has provided more than 1,900 scholarships and honor awards totaling more than $16 million. More information about the Whirlpool Foundation can be found online at www.whirlpoolcorp.com or by calling 269.923-5580.