Seven Mississippi State University Bagley College of Engineering students awarded Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association (MAMA) Scholarships

TUPELO, MISS. – With the announcement of the Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association’s 2024-2025 Scholarship Recipients, MAMA’s scholarship fund has supported 243 students enrolled in Mississippi community colleges and universities with a total of $437,500 awarded since 2006.

From an outstanding applicant pool, MAMA has awarded 14 scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year to community college and university students interested in pursuing a career in the automotive manufacturing industry.  MAMA has supported the growth of a strong workforce essential to the health of all industries in the state since its inception in 2006. This year’s scholarships were awarded to technical and engineering-related majors, as well as non-traditional majors, that can be applied within the automotive industry.

Safety and environmental issues, along with the potential to make cars safer and more accessible for everyone, particularly individuals with disabilities, were recurring interests expressed in essays submitted by this year’s recipients. The students discussed the possibilities of integrating innovative technologies into vehicle production to create a world where each driver and passenger could embark on safe and enjoyable journeys. They expressed excitement about the opportunity to be part of this transformative process and to witness the continuous advancements in automotive technology.

MAMA serves its members by promoting growth, development, and improvement in the automotive industry in Mississippi, as well as serving as a forum for interaction among automotive manufacturing companies in the state. In extending his congratulations, Skip Scaggs, MAMA’s President, said, “Mississippi has an environment conducive to advanced manufacturing. We are proud that Mississippi’s higher education system has invested heavily in educational opportunities and facilities which ensure the state will be able to produce the talented workforce necessary to keep the automotive industry strong. MAMA is committed to doing our part to recognize that workforce. I congratulate each of these students and wish them success in completing their degree, followed by a successful start in our industry!”

The seven Mississippi State University 2024-2025 MAMA Scholarship winners are:

Eli Chancellor is a junior at Mississippi State University majoring in mechanical engineering. Eli has worked at Cooperative Energy and at Twin Lakes Camp and Conference Center. An Eagle Scout, Chancellor was involved in the Jones College Student Engineering Society serving as President and a member of the Jones College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and Jones College Hall of Fame. One of his instructors stated, “Eli made quite the lasting impression on me after just a few meetings. For 24 years, I have taught calculus-based physics. With Calculus 1 as a prerequisite, by default I have some of the brightest students that enroll in classes on our campus. Eli is among the top 5% of my students in all these years. … Among his peers, his critical thinking, technical writing and verbal expression of engineering related concepts are advanced. … I have no doubt that he will be a great asset to an engineering team as a member and as a leader.”

Kendall Chandler, a senior at Mississippi State University, is majoring in mechanical engineering. Kendall has completed internships at Jackson County Authority and most recently at Yokohama Tire. During this recent internship, she assisted on projects such as testing Soap Stone concentrations and creating schedules to maintain productive machines. Yokohama also supported her personal development by assisting her with her White Belt certification through Lean Six Sigma. In her words, she “challenged her  engineering skills while experiencing the industry of manufacturing!” Chandler is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, MSU Engineering Student Council, Mechanical Engineering Ladies Organization, and MSU’s Society of Women Engineering. She is involved in numerous volunteer activities as referenced by one of her professors, “With a commitment to her community, Kendall serves others through volunteer initiatives. Her engagement with organizations such as Sally Kate Winters, Project ENspire, and the Special Olympics reflects her compassion, leadership skills, and dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of others.”

Haley Dean is a senior at Mississippi State University. A mechanical engineering major with a minor in math, Haley has also worked to build her hands-on experience with work at the MSU Industrial Assessment Center, a Body Weld co-op at Toyota MS, as a Supplemental Instructor and Mentor at MSU, and as a Research Intern at Brown University. Dean’s MSU campus involvement includes Tau Beta Pi, Mechanical Engineering Ladies Organization, Phi Kappa Phi, BCOE Ambassadors, and the Shackouls Honors College. Her honors include 1^st Place MS Honors Conference in the STEM Division, 2022 TVA Scholar, ICC Hall of Fame, Coca-Cola Gold Scholar and the All MS Academic First Team.Dean’s Engineering Manager at Toyota MS said, “I had the pleasure of having Haley Dean as my Co-op Engineering student here at TMMMS BW Shop. Haley excelled in her activities at TMMMS. By the end of her term, Haley was seen as a reliable team member that gave tremendous effort and always had a willingness to help.”

 Collins Fiscus, a senior at Mississippi State University with a 3.89 GPA, is pursuing a major in mechanical engineering with minors in business administration and mathematics. Fiscus, a Shackouls Honors College student, has spent his college years pursuing opportunities to get firsthand experience in a manufacturing environment. In 2022 he participated in an Engineering Economics Study Abroad at IMT Mines Albi-Carmaux in Albi, France. He completed three co-ops at Mercedes Benz in 2023 – in Body Series Planning, in Battery Series Planning and in Body Process Engineering. Currently he is working as an Undergraduate UAS Test and Evaluation Engineer in the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory in Starkville and as an Instrument Panel Design and Release Engineering Intern with Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan. Collins serves as an Engineering Ambassador with the MSU Bagley College of Engineering, the Director of Public Relations with MSU’s Music Maker Productions, and as a Structures Sub-Team Lead with the university’s Space Cowboys High-Powered Rocketry Team

Jordon Jasper, a senior at Mississippi State University with a 3.82 GPA, is majoring in computer science. Jaspe is an honors student. Jordan serves as a Resident Advisor at MSU. His strong problem-solving, decision-making, and priority management skills are excellent tools to help him with his job as a researcher with the MSU Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems contributing to pioneering efforts in autonomous mobility for off-road, industrial, and heavy-duty vehicles. One of his MSU instructors wrote, “His academic pursuits extended beyond the classroom through his involvement in the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, where he applied theoretical knowledge to tangible engineering challenges.  Mr. Jasper's role in the lab required teamwork and communication skills, which he exercised with professionalism and clarity.  He … is a valuable member of our research team.” This past summer Jordon participated in a REU Program where he worked on implementing Graphing Neural Networks within Robotic Systems that would allow the robot to think on its own.

Naomi Martin is a senior at Mississippi State University majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in mathematics. She is a highly motivated and detail-oriented engineering student who has maintained a 3.96 GPA. Naomi worked to attain her first internship in her freshman year.  She has served as a Powerplant Research Engineer Intern with Southwest Airlines Technical Operations in Dallas, Texas, an Engineering Support Intern with Airbus in Columbus, Mississippi, and a Project Engineer Intern with Garney Construction in several states. Martin wrote “Since I was a young girl, I have been infatuated with transportation of all forms. However, I never fully understood why cars, trains, boats, or planes actually worked. This curiosity led me to pursue a career in engineering.” In a letter of recommendation, a MSU instructor shared, “Naomi exhibited an exemplary level of proficiency in computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and CNC operations. Her commitment to mastering these essential skills was evident from the beginning, and she quickly emerged as a standout student in the class.”

Abigail “Abby” Potrament, a junior at Mississippi State University majoring in industrial engineering and business administration with minors in global engineering and mathematics, has completed Global Service Parts, Body Process Engineering, and Supplier Quality Engineering Co-ops at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International in Vance, Alabama. Abby currently serves as a Resident Advisor at MSU. Potrament is a member of Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, MSU’s Shackoul’s Honor College and a President’s Scholar. According to one of her managers at MBUSI, “Abigail is a warm, engaging individual who is not only willing to go above expectation in the classroom and the automotive sector, she is also engaged in philanthropy. MBUSI has annual activities to raise money and awareness for ACS. Abigail, as a co-op student, was vital with helping plan and execute those activities. She assisted with the development of the internal communication strategy at MBUSI for cancer awareness and screening. She also provided valuable input and development to create our first ever 5K and fun walk supporting ACS.”