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News: Gerdau scholarship winners has Roane State ties

Maleah Hipsher

News release submitted by Gerdau

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE MAY 30, 2017 – When Maleah Hipsher was a freshmen in high school, her brother, Tyler, was rushed to the hospital after the car he was working on fell on top of him.

She watched the nurses rushing around him, working to save his life. That’s when Hipsher knew she wanted to be a nurse.

“They were willing to do whatever it took,” Hipsher said.

Now a senior at Tennessee Technological University, in Cookeville, Hipsher is studying to become a nurse. This year, she applied for one of 15 highly coveted Gerdau scholarships. Her father, Roger Hipsher, works in Knoxville at Gerdau, a steel manufacturer. The scholarship is open to children of Gerdau North America employees and is worth $2,500 per year for up to four years.

Part of the selection process includes writing an essay on an inspirational figure in an applicant’s life. Hipsher played softball at Roane State Community College for two years before she earned her associate’s degree and transferred to Tennessee Tech. She chose to write about her former softball coach at Roane State, Jessie Hackworth.

“She was helping people any way she could,” Hipsher said. “She was there for us no matter what time of day. She didn’t care if we played ball after we graduated; she just cared if we were happy.”

Hackworth’s emphasis on health, hard work and dedication was a driving force for Hipsher to study nursing.

“She inspired me to better myself,” Hipsher said.

In addition to her essay, Hipsher’s many accolades helped her snag one of the 2017-18 Gerdau scholarships. Hipsher has been on the dean’s list and president’s list; has volunteered at her church’s clothing drive, a local food bank and Greenback High School in the athletic program, and she shadowed a nurse at a children’s hospital; and she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Hipsher is the only winner from Tennessee.

“It’s an incredible feeling that you got selected over so many other applicants – that you stood out from the crowd,” Hipsher said.

The Gerdau scholarship program has been going on since 1981 as a way to recognize and encourage academically talented students. The competition was conducted through an independent and impartial third-party administrator, International Scholarship and Tuition Services Inc. ISTS has more than 30 years of experience in managing global scholarship programs. Awards are based on the student’s academic performance (including GPA, types of courses and standardized test results), extracurricular activities, community service, awards and honors, and work experience.

About Gerdau

Gerdau is the leading producer of long steel in the Americas, and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. Gerdau’s North American operations consist of mills, recycling operations, and downstream facilities which manufacture steel products for the construction, automotive, agricultural and energy markets. Gerdau is proud to stimulate the economy with a variety of well-paid manufacturing careers, employing 9,000 people across 120 communities in the U.S. and Canada.

The company’s robust recycling practices transform millions of tons of scrap metals into steel products each year, making Gerdau is one of the greenest choices for steel.

Media contacts:

Shai Johnson

Manager, External Communications and Public Affairs

Gerdau Long Steel North America

Tel. (813) 864-4678

shai.johnson@gerdau.com

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