K&M announces 2021 scholarship winner

Published 9:07 am Tuesday, May 4, 2021

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CASSOPOLIS — K&M Machine-Fabricating, Inc. in Cassopolis recently announced its Earl G. Marhanka Scholarship winner for fall 2021. The scholarship program was established in 2001 in recognition of K&M’s 50th anniversary and in honor of the entrepreneurial spirit of its founder, Mr. Earl G. Marhanka.

To date, more than $250,000 has been awarded to more than 60 students of K&M employees.  This year’s scholarship recipient will receive $2,000.

The recipient is Austin Verstreater, a graduate of Waverly High School in Lansing. He will be attending Kent State University. Once at Kent State, Verstreater plans to major in theatre studies. During high school, he was involved in choir, student government and theater as an actor, director and stage crew. He is the son of Scott Verstreater, program manager.

In addition to Verstreater, six scholarship winners from previous years are eligible to renew their $2,000 scholarships.  They are:

  • Maggie Baert (Butler University, by way of Penn High School), daughter of Patrick Baert
  • Cliff Holmes (Kalamazoo Valley Community College, by way of Decatur High School), son of David Holmes.
  • Caroline McLoughlin (Loyola University Chicago, by way of Lake Michigan Catholic), daughter of Derek McLoughlin
  • Haily Shibinski (Southwestern Michigan College, by way of Brandywine High School), daughter of Dave Shibinski.
  • Caitlin Stanner (Lake Michigan College, by way of Brandywine High School), daughter of Rick Antisdel
  • Anna Stevens (Southwestern Michigan College, by way of Decatur High School), daughter of Tom Stevens.