PSI awards record number of scholarships

The Washington-based Recycled Materials Association's (ReMA's) Paper Stock Industries (PSI) Chapter has announced it is awarding $55,000 to 21 students in its annual scholarship program, setting records for the total funds awarded and the number of student recipients. This year’s scholarship total includes one $5,000 grand-prize scholarship and 20 $2,500 merit scholarships.

The 2025 winners, along with their sponsoring ReMA/PSI Chapter member company/location and the school they will attend, are as follows:

$5,000 Grand Prize Scholarship Winner

• Ava Freye, Padnos (Muskegon, Michigan); Michigan State University

$2,500 Merit Scholarship Winners

• John Butryn, Greif Recycling (Smyrna, Georgia); Georgia Institute of Technology
• Ivery Caldwell, Graphic Packaging International (West Monroe, Louisiana); Southern University and A&M College
• Collin Cronin, Pioneer Industries International (Elk Grove Village, Illinois); University of Alabama
• Addison Denzer, Graphic Packaging International (Woodway, Texas); Baylor University
• Isabella Devanney, CellMark (Crestview Hills, Kentucky); University of Kentucky
• Jake Duursema, Van Dyk Recycling Solutions (Norwalk, Connecticut); New England Institute of Technology
• Sara Hall, Sonoco Recycling (Hartsville, South Carolina); Clemson University
• Isabel Hardwick, Graphic Packaging International (Kalamazoo, Michigan); Youngstown State University
• Aidan Lepo, Padnos (Holland, Michigan); Michigan State University
• James Naviglia, Pitt Penn Recycling (Creighton, Pennsylvania); Thiel College
• Ava Rauguth, Midwest Fiber Recycling (Normal, Illinois); Saint Louis University
• Riley Rosenfield, International Paper (Memphis, Tennessee); Franciscan University of Steubenville
• Ryan Snider, CellMark (Norwalk, Connecticut); University of Florida
• Trenton Spykerman, Padnos (Holland, Michigan); Ferris State University
• Keifer State, Pratt Recycling (Conyers, Georgia); University of South Carolina
  
• Karolina Szczepaniak, Pioneer Industries International (Elk Grove Village, Illinois); University of Illinois-Chicago
• Madison Taylor, Graphic Packaging International (West Monroe, Louisiana); Louisiana Tech University
• Dylan Valle, Smurfit WestRock (East Dublin, Georgia); Brigham Young University
• Drew Woodmansee, Greif Recycling (Oronogo, Missouri); Pittsburg State University
• Lauren Zahnow, Graphic Packaging International (Kalamazoo, Michigan); Spring Arbor University

Winning students are able use the PSI scholarship funds to pay for certificate or degree programs at technical, trade and vocational schools as well as two-year or four-year postsecondary institutions. The PSI scholarship program is open to students who are dependents of employees in the recycling divisions of PSI Chapter member companies (though dependents of company owners or principals are not eligible).

The PSI Chapter has been awarding academic scholarships on an annual basis for more than 28 years. Over the past 11 years, PSI has increased its annual scholarship awards more than fivefold—from four to 21 scholarships—while the dollar amount has grown almost sevenfold, from $8,000 to $55,000.