The PMMI Foundation along with Dorner Manufacturing Corporation selected University of Wisconsin—Stout student, Ryan Knudtson, as the recipient of this year’s $2,000 Richard C. Ryan Packaging Education Scholarship. PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, supports packaging education at more than 25 U.S. colleges, universities and technical schools.

Dorner Manufacturing Corporation chooses the scholarship recipient based on GPA, major related to packaging engineering, demonstrated commitment to excellence in the packaging industry, extracurricular involvement and financial need.“We were very impressed by the quality of applicants for the Richard C. Ryan Packaging Education Scholarship,” said Terry Schadeberg, president and CEO, Dorner Manufacturing Corp. “We are pleased to select Ryan Knudtson as the 2016 recipient.”Knudtson is in his second year as a Packaging major at University of Wisconsin—Stout. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education and taught for three years before he made the courageous decision to go back to school to pursue packaging. He currently holds a 3.94 GPA and plans on completing a seven-month-long internship in Sheboygan, Wisconsin with Johnsonville.“I wholeheartedly endorse the aspirations of Ryan,” said Brenda S. Puck, instructor, Engineering and Technology Department, University of Wisconsin—Stout. “His talents, intelligence and creativity will serve him well in the packaging engineering field. He will be an asset to any organization, bringing knowledge, leadership skills, caring, enthusiasm and professionalism to his colleagues.”Established in memory of former president and CEO of PMMI member, Dorner, Richard Ryan had a passion for learning how things get done and for being fully engaged. That made him a valuable, active leader in the industry, PMMI, and its community.To apply for this scholarship students must attend a PMMI Partner School and submit an application complete with a signed letter of recommendation from a faculty member, as well as a 500–1,000-word essay describing their interest in the packaging field. Students must also provide their transcripts.Each year, the PMMI Foundation provides $100,000 in scholarships to students majoring in packaging. Students must currently attend a PMMI Partner School to be eligible for PMMI Foundation scholarships. For more information on the PMMI Foundation, visit pmmi.org/scholarships.