MTA/NJ Hands Out Scholarship Awards

The Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA/NJ) Foundation announced the winners of its 2019 scholarships and educational awards. Since 2006, the MTA/NJ Education Foundation has awarded more than $25,000 to deserving students and has provided more than $10,000 towards marine education and training for its members.

A new MTA/NJ Boating Industry Scholarship is now offered to a student pursuing a career in the recreational boating industry. The MTA/NJ Boating Industry Scholarship, valued at $1,500, was presented to Kyle Rush who has experience working as both a first mate on a private fishing charter boat and a deck hand at a local marina. He plans to attend Marine Mechanics Institute in Florida.

The MTA/NJ Family Scholarship, valued at $1,500, is open to MTA/NJ members’ children and their employees’ children and can be applied to any higher education program. The MTA/NJ Family Scholarship was created in 2014 to give back to our members who support the Foundation and help students achieve their educational and career goals. The 2019 MTA/NJ Family Scholarship was awarded to Jenna DiLorenzo of Monmouth Beach who will begin her freshman year at Penn State University this fall where she plans to study business.

The MTA/NJ also awarded an outstanding student award for the purchase of tools for the trade to Tyler Goldsmith, who is graduating from the two-year Marine Trades program at Ocean County Vocational Technical School with a 93 average. He participated in the NJ State SkillsUSA Marine Service Technology contest where he won the bronze medal. Goldsmith intends to attend Marine Mechanics Institute in Florida in the fall and work toward a Mercury Marine Master Technician Certification.

In addition to scholarships, the MTA/NJ Foundation is aggressively working to address workforce issues through marine training reimbursements, industry certification courses, and education and training in the classroom and on the job for members and their employees. This year, the MRAA Educational Foundation’s MTA Technical Scholarship funds were awarded through the new MTA/NJ Technical Training Scholarship program. The MTA/NJ created this scholarship to expand its foundation’s support of members with their training and certification needs. As a result, two members of the MTA/NJ, selected by the MTA/NJ Education Committee, were awarded full scholarships to attend the ABYC’s Marine Systems Certification Course. The winners of the Technical Training Scholarship were Jack Wollner of Monmouth Marine Engines in Brielle and Ben Castrogiovanni of Bridge Marina in Lake Hopatcong.