The Clifford H. "Ted" Rees Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, recently announced that OSU Institute of Technology student Nathan Pawley, of Owasso, was awarded a scholarship as part of a total of $55,000 to 35 students, including six veterans, studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industry.

"We are pleased to award scholarships to these qualified and dedicated students and veterans, and hope to eventually welcome them into the industry," said AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek. "Each year, the foundation provides aid to an increasing number of recipients, helping to promote careers in the industry and fill good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced."

Pawley received a $1,500 scholarship that will go toward tuition.

“Any money helps. I don’t have a whole lot of other scholarships. And going to school, you can’t work that much,” he said.

Before enrolling in the ACR program at OSUIT last year, Pawley attended Tulsa Tech’s HVAC technician program.

“I work for Riverside Heat & Air. This school and the reputation it has, I think, is why I got the job. OSUIT definitely goes more in-depth than any vo-tech. I like it a lot,” he said.

ACCA President and CEO Paul T. Stalknecht said developing quality workers is a critical initiative that everyone in the industry is working together to accomplish.

"We are proud to partner with the Rees Scholarship Foundation and AHRI to give these hard-working students and veterans scholarships to help them continue their education, which will develop into a strong workforce for our industry's future."

Since its founding in 2003, the Rees Scholarship Foundation has awarded more than $550,000 in scholarships to 330 deserving students and instructors.