Economic Incentives

 

From News-Sentinel staff reports:

   

Three individuals have been rewarded financially for their commitment to stay in Fort Wayne after graduation.

   

Today, City Councilman John Crawford, R-at large, was to announce the first three students to be rewarded through the “Brain Gain” program, a loan-repayment fund administered through the Fort Wayne Educational Foundation.

   

[...]The Brain Gain program has been set up by the Educational Foundation to allow students to apply if they have the following: a four-year college degree or post-graduate degree in engineering, engineering technologies or computer sciences, working in fields of advanced manufacturing, computer information technology or biomedical/biotechnology. Candidates apply to the Fort Wayne Educational Foundation for loan-repayment awards of $2,500 per year for up to four years, for a potential total of $10,000 toward college loan repayments.

   

The first three recipients for the Brain Gain awards are:

      

April Bledsoe, a graduate of Purdue University who is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Indiana Institute of Technology. She has worked as a product development engineer at International Truck and Engine Corp. for the past three years. Within her job, she serves as coordinator of the University Relations Team, working to bring engineering talent to Fort Wayne. She is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and Society of Women Engineers. In 2006, she will head to Ensenada, Mexico, to work on water sources and buildings. Her volunteer work includes Habitat for Humanity, United Way Day of Caring and tutoring elementary students. April is a member of Grace Fellowship Church in New Haven.

      

Aaron Diers, a magna cum laude graduate of Indiana Institute of Technology, has a bachelor’s of science degree in computer science and computer engineering. He is currently working on a master’s degree at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne in computer science. Since his 2002 graduation from Indiana Tech, he has been employed by the school to develop and support the university’s administrative information technology systems. He also is a teacher at the Indiana Tech campus. He volunteers his time for other activities at Indiana Tech and at St. John Lutheran Church.

                

Jeffrey Newcomer earned his bachelor’s degree from IPFW and his master’s of science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in 2002. He currently is employed at International Truck in the areas of robust design and manufacturing. He has been a lead researcher and has had a key role in developing production assembly methods and a multi-user critical database. In his spare time he coaches basketball at the Old Fort YMCA and supports his church activities.

         

Question: Why does one need a degree in engineering, engineering technologies or computer sciences and a job in advanced manufacturing, computer information technology or biomedical/biotechnology to qualify for the money? What about all the other areas affected by brain drain?

RELATED: How to apply