Arlington, Va. – The Clifford H. "Ted" Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), today announced scholarship awards totaling $81,000 to 47 students, including three military veterans, and 10 SkillsUSA awardees studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industry. 

"Each year, the Foundation provides aid to these aspiring technicians, helping to promote careers in the industry and fill good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced," said AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek. "We are pleased to award scholarships to these qualified and dedicated students, and we look forward to welcoming them into the industry." 

HVACR and Water Heating Technician Program Recipients:

Yasir Abdulghani, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH

Christopher Alexander, Electrical Training Center Inc., Copiague, NY

Stephen Andrews, Chattanooga State Community College, Chattanooga, TN

Gurinder Bassi, InterCoast College, Granada Hills, CA

Edgar Camacho, Perry Technical Institute, Yakima, WA

Jon Castillo, Austin Career Institute, Austin, TX

Michael Citelli, Electrical Training Center Inc., Copiague, NY

Marica Cunningham, Gadsden State Community College, Anniston, AL

Jose Garza, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI

Reese Graham, Rockingham Community College, Wentworth, NC

Duane Hall, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI

Michael Higginbotham, Bevill State Community College, Hamilton, AL

Izaya Johnson, Electrical Training Center Inc., Copiague, NY

Robert Keyes, Northshore Technical Community College, Lacombe, LA

Luis Angel Magdaleno Gonzalez, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA

Rebecca Maitland, Pike's Peak State College, Colorado Springs, CO

Matthew Maitland, Pike's Peak State College, Colorado Springs, CO

Tyrone Manderson, Northeastern Technical Institute, Scarborough, ME

John Maracich, College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV

Anthony Matias, Electrical Training Center Inc., Copiague, NY

Robert Melton, Bevill State Community College, Hamilton, AL

Shane Osenga, Southeast Technical Institute, Sioux Falls, SD

Scott Pendergraft, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI

James Pullom, Chattanooga State Community College, Chattanooga, TN

Martin Rodriguez Landeros, College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV

Nicholas Ruddell, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA

Blossom Sanchez, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, CO

Eyad Seder, InterCoast College - Sacramento Campus, Sacramento, CA

Justin Smith, Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, MO

William Staples, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI

Jacqueline Stasa, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI

Donald Wood, Calhoun Community College, Tanner, AL

Devin Wyant, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA

Seth Yadon, Moore Norman Technology Center, Norman, OK

Veterans Program Recipients:

Christopher Alexander, Electrical Training Center Inc., Copiague, NY

Edward Maitland, Pike's Peak State College, Colorado Springs, CO

Andrew Morris, Perry Technical Institute, Yakima, WA

2022 SkillsUSA Awardees:

Nathaniel Brown

Jaxson Burns

William “Billy” Coughlin

Joseph Guza

Daniel Keeton

Cole Kelley

Justin Martin

Rebecca Thorstad

David Vinson

Nathan Wiese

Since its founding in 2003, the Rees Scholarship Foundation has awarded more than $1.1 million in scholarships to over 700 deserving students. For a list of past scholarship recipients, click here.