WADSWORTH, Ohio — SOPREMA, Inc., a leading roofing, waterproofing, wall protection and civil engineering solutions manufacturer, has awarded four college students scholarships as part of the company's annual awards program.

The company started the SOPREMA Scholarship to assist students pursuing a degree in architecture, engineering, construction management or a similar building envelope field at accredited four-year colleges or universities. The winners will each receive $5,000 to use toward their studies.

Congratulations to these students receiving a 2022 SOPREMA scholarship:  

Francisca (Franny) Anunobi, Saint Martin's University

Anunobi majors in Mechanical Engineering and will graduate in 2023. This summer, she worked with the U.S. Department of Energy as a summer intern in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Water Power Technologies Office).  

She feels her career track is at the ultimate intersection between her passion for energy production and management and her desire to approach problem-solving through engineering design.   

"My primary goal as a future engineer is to create products and processes that are sustainable, innovative and efficient," Anunobi says. "I am most fulfilled by work that has direct positive impacts on communities, so I am also hopeful that I will be able to integrate a community-driven perspective into my work." 

Erika Clinard, Clemson University

Clinard is studying Civil Engineering and looks forward to enhancing building infrastructure and being able to pursue math and physics at a college level. 

"To me, being an engineer isn't just about building things," Clinard says. "It is about contributing to our society." 

Ian Doherty, Michigan State University

Doherty majors in Engineering and learned about this career through his father's work as a materials engineer. Many opportunities across disciplines make this major a natural choice since math and science also appeal to him. 

"People across the world need help that engineers can provide," Doherty says. "I look forward to designing things to help improve everyday life for people." 

Rhett Tinklenberg, South Dakota State University

Tinklenberg majors in Construction Management and works as a superintendent intern for the commercial construction company Puetz Design + Build. While shadowing a project manager, he learned how to do submittals, cost variance, takeoff estimating, and project management skills. 

Tinklenberg grew up around construction, watching his dad run his roofing company. He loves the skill it takes to design and construct a building successfully. He looks forward to completing projects by applying everything he has learned in his internships and school. 

"I am excited to be able to give back to students like me, as I know how much scholarships have impacted me positively throughout my college career," Tinklenberg says. "Many people don't realize the fulfillment of working in the construction industry. Not only do you get to build buildings and see a project from start to finish under your management, but it also pays extremely well. We all know that the construction industry is always booming." 

SOPREMA is dedicated to the success of the building envelope industry by advancing the next generation. That's why SOPREMA has invested $175,000 in scholarships in the building envelope field in just seven years. Applications for the 2023-2024 SOPREMA Scholarship program will be available in the early fall. Learn more about the SOPREMA Scholarship Program here.