AEP Announces 2017 AEP Educational Trust Scholarship Winners

Forty-four sons and daughters of employees throughout the AEP System have been named recipients of 2017 AEP Educational Trust Scholarships.

Each of the winning scholars will receive $8,000 over a three-year period: $3,000 for the freshman year in college, $2,500 for the sophomore year and $2,500 for the junior year.

A total of 238 students throughout the AEP System applied for the 44 available scholarships, which were open to employees’ children who are seniors in high school and plan to enter college this fall.

Winners were selected by two independent scholastic judges based on each student’s class rank, grade point average, test scores, recommendations, autobiographical presentation, special qualities or talents, leadership abilities, extracurricular activities and citizenship.

AEP has given 1,953 educational awards totaling $8.85 million since the program began in 1955 with a single $500 award. If a student receives a full scholarship to the institution of choice, he or she will give up the AEP award and an alternate will be selected.

This year’s winners are:

Matthew Allen, son of Wayne and Teresa Allen. Wayne is a regulatory accounting case manager at AEP Headquarters in Columbus Ohio. Matthew is a home school high school senior in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.

Abby Bailey, daughter of Rob and Lisa Bailey. Rob is an economic forecast analyst located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Abby is a senior at Stroud High School in Stroud, Oklahoma.

Daniel Busch, son of Brent and Lisa Busch. Brent is a customer services engineer principal for Appalachian Power Company in Huntington, West Virginia. Dan is a senior at Paul G. Blazer High School in Ashland, Kentucky.

Amanda Cooper, daughter of Bonnie Richardson and Curt Cooper. Curt is director of employee benefits at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Amanda is a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio.

Krista Eldridge, daughter of Mark and Linda Eldridge. Linda is a principle project coordinator for Transmission’s Project Management Group in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Hunter Enama, son of Gary and Diane Enama. Gary is an energy efficiency coordinator for AEP Ohio in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Hunter is a senior at New Philadelphia High School in New Philadelphia, Ohio.

Rachel Farmer, daughter of Dave and Tina Farmer. Dave is the plant environmental coordinator senior at the Rockport Plant in Rockport, Indiana. Rachel is a senior at Daviess County High School in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Faith Ferguson, daughter of Steve and Angie Ferguson. Steve is the vice president of Regulatory and Finance for Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power. Faith is a senior at Winfield High School in Winfield, West Virginia.

Erin Ferry, daughter of Julie and Jeff Ferry. Jeff is a senior engineering technician from the Huntington District of Appalachian Power Company. Erin is a senior at Spring Valley High School in Huntington, West Virginia.

Connor Finneran, son of Mike and Bonnie Finneran. Mike is a mechanical engineer principal at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Connor is a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio.

Madeleine Gagné, daughter of John and Kendra Gagné. John is an IT software developer lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Madeleine is a senior at Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio.

Connor Gray, son of Rick and Lisa Gray. Rick is a principal analyst in Treasury Operations at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Connor is a senior at Dublin Scioto High School in Dublin, Ohio.

Erica Heathcote, daughter of Bob and Kam Heathcote and Deborah Calley. Bob is a nuclear specialist at Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan. Erica is a senior at St. Joseph High School in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Gracie Hoffman, daughter of Dave and Kathie Hoffman. Dave is the managing director of Field and Support Services in Columbus, Ohio. Gracie is a senior at Meigs High School in Pomeroy, Ohio.

Ryan Hudson, son of Loyd Hudson. Loyd is the Integrated Disability Manager at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Ryan is a senior at Granville High School in Granville, Ohio.

Julia Kubath, daughter of Thomas and Michelle Kubath. Tom is an auxiliary equipment operator at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan. Julia is a senior at Michigan Lutheran High School in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Morgan Lawrence, daughter of Tollison and Sherri Lawrence. Tollison is a field procurement specialist in Conesville, Ohio. Morgan is a senior at River View High School and attends classes at The Ohio State University in Newark, Ohio, as part of the College Credit Plus program.

William Ma, son of Anita Zhang and Steve Ma. Steve is a system administrator at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. William is a senior at Dublin Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio.

Emma McSpadden, daughter of James and Pamela McSpadden. James is the material handling superintendent at the Oklaunion Power Station in Vernon, Texas. Emma is a senior at Vernon High School in Vernon.

Julia Minter, daughter of Stan and Terri Minter. Stan is the maintenance superintendent at Welsh Power Plant in Pittsburg, Texas. Julia is a senior at Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Texas.

Kovid Misicka, son of Vini and Matt Misicka. Vini is the IT corporate demand director at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.  Kovid is a senior at Hilliard Bradley High School in Hilliard, Ohio.

Aditya Mistry, son of Pradip and Rupali Mistry. Pradip is an IT business systems analyst specialist in Gahanna, Ohio. Aditya is a senior at New Albany High School in New Albany, Ohio.

Corey Morgan, son of Reid and Jill Morgan. Reid is an engineering technician principal for American Electric Power in Corpus Christi, Texas. Corey is a senior at Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi.

K. Bryce Morrison, son of Kenny and Eugenia Morrison. Kenny is a maintenance supervisor for Appalachian Power Company in Sandy Level, Virginia. Bryce is a senior at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, Virginia, as well as the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School for Science and Technology in Roanoke, Virginia.

Shannon Peck, daughter of David and Julie Peck. David is a SCADA support specialist for Commercial Operations at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Shannon is a senior at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Allison Pennybaker, daughter of Robert and Lu Ann Pennybaker. Robert is director of the System Interconnections group and Lu Ann is a senior software developer in IT Business Applications-Customer & Distribution. Allison is a senior at Eagle Point Christian Academy in Sapulpa, Oklahoma.

Ashlyn Pugh, daughter of Archie and Carrie Pugh. Archie is the managing director of Transmission Field Services East based out of Roanoke, Virginia. Ashlyn is a senior at Salem High School in Salem, Virginia.

Jenna Rao, daughter of Frank Rao and Jing Wang. Frank is a cybersecurity lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Jenna is a senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.

Jimmy Rao, son of Frank Rao and Jing Wang. Frank is a cybersecurity lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Jimmy is a senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.

Brock Reynolds, son of Earlyne and Tom Reynolds. Earlyne is a regulatory consultant for the AEP Service Corporation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Brock is a senior at Jenks High School in Jenks, Oklahoma.

Shanila Reza, daughter of Hasan and Sharmin Reza. Hasan is an engineer principal in Generation Structural Engineering Services at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Shanila is a senior at Dublin Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio.

Meredith Roach, daughter of Ellen and Pete Boriin. Ellen is an IT business systems analyst specialist at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Meredith is a senior at Thomas Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio.

Ashley Samuelson, daughter of Ivan and Monica Samuelson. Ivan is a software developer lead at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Ashley is a senior at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Corey Simmerer, son of Brad and Julia Simmerer. Brad is an IT network analyst senior in Gahanna, Ohio. Corey is a graduate of Olentangy Orange High School in Lewis Center, Ohio.

Aubree Smith, daughter of Chris and Kelie Smith. Chris is a distribution dispatcher at the Distribution Dispatch Center in Roanoke, Virginia. Aubree is a senior at William Byrd High School in Roanoke.

Michael Solomon, son of Stuart and Dana Solomon. Stuart is the president and chief operating officer for Public Service Company of Oklahoma in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Michael is a senior at Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa.

Ellen Spitznogle, daughter of Gary and Lynette Spitznogle. Gary is the managing director of CCR management for fossil and hydro generation in Columbus, Ohio. Ellen is a senior at Worthington Kilbourne High School in Worthington, Ohio.

Elizabeth Stolte, daughter of Arthur and Deborah Stolte. Arthur is a nuclear planner at the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman Michigan. Elizabeth is a senior at Lake Michigan Catholic High School in St. Joseph Michigan.

Madyson Stricker, daughter of Jim and Beth Stricker. Jim is a customer design technician for Indiana Michigan Power Company in Decatur, Indiana. Madyson is a senior at Columbia City High School in Columbia City, Indiana.

Rishi Verma, son of Sam and Vishakha Verma. Sam is a procurement engineering supervisor at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan. Rishi is a senior at Michigan City High School in Michigan City, Indiana.

Robert Webster, son of Jon and Rumiela Webster. Jon is the environmental and lab supervisor at the John Amos Power Plant in Winfield, West Virginia. Robert is a senior at Hurricane High School in Hurricane, West Virginia.

Alexander Witt, son of Jill Parker-Witt and Dr. Steve Witt. Jill is an environmental engineer principle for AEP’s Environmental Services Land Environment & T&D Compliance Group in Shreveport, Louisiana. Alex is a senior at Caddo Parish Magnet High School in Shreveport, La.

Michael Zelina, son of Tom and Karen Zelina. Tom is a regulatory case manager for the Regulatory Services group at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Michael is a senior at Saint Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Celia Zhang, daughter of Kevin Zhang and Kathy He. Kevin is a staff engineer at AEP Transmission Operations Center in New Albany, Ohio. Kathy is an IT system analyst-specialist at AEP Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Celia is a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio.