MIA Natural Stone Scholarship

2010 MIA President, Brett Rugo of Rugo Stone in Lorton, VA, presenting the MIA Natural Stone Scholarship to Joe Durfee of Great Lakes Granite & Marble of Redford, MI.

This scholarship was established in 2004 to provide educational opportunities for aspiring fabricators, installers, or administrative apprentices interested in furthering their careers within the natural stone industry. Funds are made through the generous donations of MIA members worldwide (click here to make a contribution). Applications are reviewed by a committee of the MIA Board of Directors, MIA staff, and industry veterans.

Application Form — Click Here

Entry Deadline — Friday, September 9, 2011

Scholarship Selection Criteria

• Applicants must have fewer than five years of experience in the natural stone industry.
• Applicants must submit an application form, an essay detailing their commitment to the natural stone industry, and a letter of recommendation from an employer.

Scholarship Award

Scholarship will cover travel and registration costs for one or more recipients to StonExpo, the natural stone industry's premier exhibition and education event, and MIA's Annual Meeting. Attendance at StonExpo and the MIA Annual Meeting offers the scholarship winner the opportunity to gain valuable technical and practical knowledge, meet and network with leading stone professionals, deepen his or her commitment to a career in the stone industry, and explore his or her potential for future leadership.

Past Scholarship Recipients

2010 —	Joe Durfee, Great Lakes Granite and Marble
2009 —	Michael Schumacher, Valders Stone & Marble, Inc.
2008 —	Jeff Lassiter, International Flooring and Protective Coatings, Inc., Norfolk, VA
2007 —	Alberto Garcia, Castle Rock Marble and Granite, Inc., Bronx, NY
2006 —	Rachel Crickenberger, CogswellStone, Palmyra, VA
2005 —	Sarah Kelly, Dakota Stone Design, Fargo, ND
2004 —	Robert Smith, Great Lakes Granite & Marble, Redford, MI