Wallace State student Scott Bartlett becomes first Industrial Electronics recipient of AlabamaGermany scholarship

HANCEVILLE, ALA.  –  Wallace State Industrial Electronics student Scott Bartlett is the first program recipient of the AlabamaGermany Bill Taylor Scholarship.
Bartlett, who turns 42 years old on Friday, is currently in his third semester in the program. The Fairview native earned the AlabamaGermany Partnership recognition after applying for an Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) scholarship.
“I’m very honored and surprised to earn the scholarship. I didn’t apply myself as I should have in high school and didn’t deserve anything back then. As an adult, I’m more mature. It’s actually flattering to be named a scholarship recipient. Any scholarship money you can get helps,” said Bartlett, who’s also studying mechatronics at the college.
Bartlett is another non-traditional student thriving at Wallace State. Despite a lengthy and successful career in construction, Bartlett always had a desire to dive into electronics. After much discussion with his family and with mentoring from Wallace State Industrial Electronics Instructor Joe Hendrix, Bartlett began the program in August 2014.
Bartlett has succeeded ever since. He has earned a pair of scholarships less than a year into the program and has maintained strong academic standing while also maintaining a 30+ hour work week. Bartlett runs his own business, sanding and finishing hardwood floors.
“It’s tough to balance going to school and working, but my wife and family help and support me a lot. I appreciate everything they do for me,” said Bartlett, whose wife, Bethany, attended Wallace State prior to him enrolling. “This degree requires you to devote a lot of time to it. When I go home, I usually put three hours into the books.”
Bartlett’s successful attempt to apply for the AAMA scholarship led to the AlabamaGermany group also bestowing a scholarship upon him. The AlabamaGermany Partnership, located in Birmingham, is the organization for facilitating collaboration between businesses and individuals with ties to Alabama and Germany. The group’s mission is to develop and support relationships and friendships between organizations and individuals with ties to Alabama and Germany and increase and improve business opportunities and foster cultural exchange.
“Scott earning this scholarship is absolutely a big deal. He’s the first one to do so in our department,” Hendrix said. “The AlabamaGermany partnership in the automotive industry is certainly hot and we welcome any time we can interact with them. We appreciate them considering Scott for the scholarship.”
Bartlett praised Hendrix for consistently letting his classes know of scholarship opportunities available.
“I can’t say enough about Joe Hendrix and the Wallace State staff. Everybody I’ve had interaction with at the college has been great. Everybody at Wallace State does their job, and it seems Joe goes a step above for his students,” Bartlett said.
Wallace State’s German connection has grown through partnerships with local German manufacturer REHAU and with Hendrix attending advanced training for mechatronics instruction in Germany late last year. Partnerships with REHAU include apprenticeship programs and the recent announcement of a REHAU Academy partnership for Fast Track for Industry students.
For more information about the AlabamaGermany organization, visit alabamagermany.org.
For more information about Wallace State, visit wallacestate.edu.

 
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Russell Moore
Staff Writer
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722    256-352-8443 direct
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu
 
Kristen Holmes
Director, WSCC Communications & Marketing,
and Administrator, The Evelyn Burrow Museum
Wallace State Community College
801 Main Street NW, PO Box 2000
Hanceville, AL  35077
256.352.8118 w  256.339.2519 c
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu