Liz Richards Scholarship Fund

The material handling industry is proud to support the next generation of professionals by offering scholarships for students pursuing careers in the industry.

About the Fund

Former CEO of MHEDA, Liz Richards, dedicated much of her 28-year career to growing awareness and recognition of the material handling industry within the academic community. Liz worked tirelessly to ensure our industry is a draw for top talent to sustain and strengthen material handling businesses for the future.

The Liz Richards Scholarship Fund, sponsored by MHEDA, offers two to three scholarships per year, each worth $5,000. Family and friends of MHEDA member companies are encouraged to apply. The scholarships are awarded in partnership with The Material Handling Education Foundation, Inc. (MHEFI).

Accepting Applications

November 15, 2024 to January 31, 2025

Qualifications

Eligibility requirements are subject to change.

Undergraduate students that are pursuing material handling industry careers and are enrolled full-time at a qualified college or university are encouraged to apply. Areas of study may include:

Industrial Engineering
Industrial Distribution
Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
Structural Engineering with a focus on cold-formed steel design
Engineering Technology
Computer Science related to Material Handling & Supply Chain
Business & Management related to Material Handling or Supply Chain Management

For the 2025/2026 academic term, the following students are eligible to apply:

Undergraduate students pursuing material handling, logistics or supply chain career enrolled full time at a qualified college or university in a target program (see list above). Undergraduate students may be classified as freshman, sophomore, junior or senior for the Fall 2024 term to be eligible.
Enrolled at any non-profit college or university in the United States accredited by the Council for Higher Education.
All applicants must be full-time students with a “B” grade point average or above in their major.
Applicants must be enrolled in school for the entire academic year (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025) without interruption barring illness, emergency, or military service.
Scholarship awards cannot be used for study abroad programs/semesters or summer school.

Interested in Contributing to the Scholarship Fund?

If you would like to help promote the material handling industry by contributing to the Liz Richards Scholarship Fund, complete the form below. Any amount you contribute is tax deductible and will be appreciated and acknowledged. We are grateful to all MHEDA Members who contribute to this fund each year!

About MHEFI

The Material Handling Education Foundation, Inc. (MHEFI) is an independent charitable organization that was established in 1976. Since 1976, their programs have supported over 1,000 students and educators seeking pathways to quality educational programs and fulfilling careers. Note: in addition to the MHEDA scholarships, there are several material handling scholarships awarded via MHEFI. 56 scholarships were awarded from MHEFI for the 2023/2024 academic year for a total of $200,000! Complete details and a list of past scholarship winners are available on the MHEFI website!

For scholarship questions, please contact Donna Varner, Executive Director, at 704-676-1190 or email dvarner@mhi.org.