Scholarship Programs
David Laffere, manager for fuels for Kansas City Power & Light Company, and one of National Coal Transportation Association's Board of Directors died earlier this year in a tragic car accident. The Education Committee of the National Coal Transportation Association would like to establish a scholarship in memory of our friend and colleague. Dave was a truly special person who gave generously of his time and energy to this organization and we want to honor his memory with an educational endowment for the future.
Currently, four NCTA scholarships are awarded annually to dependent sons and daughters of full time employees of NCTA member companies in good standing who are soon to enter their college junior or senior year at an accredited non-profit college or university. Semi-finalists are selected primarily on the basis of academic merit. Particular consideration is now given to Engineers & Scientists with a stated interest in a career in the coal, electric utility or transportation industries as reflected by the NCTA field of Membership. Special award criteria may be developed for the Laffere Scholarship after consultation with Dave's family and coworkers. The final award selections are made by the NCTA Education Committee.
At present, all the scholarships awarded by the NCTA to both University and At-Large applicants are funded yearly out of the general operating budget. The NCTA David L. Laffere Scholarship will be the first award to be endowed, thus insuring the ability of the NCTA to make this award in perpetuity.
National Coal Transportation Association is providing a base amount of $10,000 to establish this annual scholarship. However, in order to create a viable annual endowment, your tax deductible contributions are needed.
Thank you for generous and thoughtful consideration for this very special tribute to Dave's memory.NCTA has provided up to nine scholarships annually to several universities representing the service territories of our members. The faculty of the university then chooses the deserving student in transportation studies or engineering studies. Starting in 2003, NCTA implemented a program of providing scholarships to students who are children of employees of NCTA member companies. Currently four of these at-large scholarships are awarded. The scholarship winners are featured in the first edition each year of the Coal Transporter magazine, the official publication of the NCTA.
John Hull of Peabody Energy is the Chairman of the Education Committee. He is constantly looking at policy changes that will make the Education Committee and Scholarship program more responsive to the future of the coal transportation industry.
Universities that are currently cooperating with NCTA in the scholarship program are the University of Arizona, the Colorado School of Mines, and the University of Wyoming. The NCTA is in active discussion with at least three other schools with the intention of increasing the number of scholarships awarded.
The NCTA is proud to support the next generation and to share its philosophy of education and cooperation as the best way to move forward in an extremely important and challenging industry. We encourage members to participate in scholarship award ceremonies and to spread the word within their own organizations that scholarships are available.