Skip to content

Modular Construction Industry Scholarships for Students

MBI Family-Member Scholarships

The annual deadline to apply is September 15.

Each year, the foundations provides $5,000 in educational building scholarships to employees of MBI member companies or employee spouses, children, or grandchildren. The MBI Foundation provides one $2,500 scholarship and the Canadian Foundation provides one $2,500 scholarship. Applicants apply directly to the foundations and must be enrolled or enrolling in a two- or four-year institution.

Requirements

Any course of study is eligible; it does not have to be related to construction. Applicants should have at least a 3.0 high school or college grade point average, be able to submit copies of school transcripts, submit at least one letter of recommendation, and submit a personal statement.

Patrick Geary HVAC Scholarship

The annual deadline to apply is September 15.

The MBI Foundation is pleased to introduce new two-, three-, or four-year construction industry scholarships for mechanical engineering students that demonstrate a continued understanding of how heating and air conditioning products and services and commercial modular construction affect one another.

Maury Tiernan has generously committed $30,000 towards the education of deserving students pursuing a mechanical engineering degree. Maury has a distinguished career as Bard Product Manager at Geary Pacific Supply and is a recognized leader in the commercial modular building industry. Maury is a past president of MBI, past chair of the MBI Educational foundation, recipient of the MBI Outstanding Achievement Award, and MBI Hall of Fame inductee. Maury has written dozens of articles and taught many MBI courses on the topic of heating and air conditioning as it relates to modular construction. Building scholarships are available to students who demonstrate academic excellence and a passion for the field.

In 2022, Geary Pacific Supply announced it will make an annual $10,000 gift to the MBI Foundation to continue the construction industry scholarship indefinitely. Geary Pacific was founded by Patrick Geary in 1961.

Eligibility

Applicants to any school may apply, though they should be pursuing a degree directly related to mechanical engineering. Verification that students are pursuing a mechanical engineering degree is required, for example, by providing copies of college applications. Applicants should demonstrate with a written essay their understanding of mechanical engineering and modular construction. Building scholarships are available to students who showcase their knowledge and passion for the field through their application. This online application will be used to determine eligibility as well as select a winning student.

Ongoing Requirements

Year 1: An essay as described in the “Eligibility” section above.
Year 2: Participate in a tour given by an HVAC manufacturer or supplier of a modular building factory.
Year 3: Participate in a client meeting with a modular building dealer or contractor.
Year 4: Create a detailed HVAC plan for a modular building.

Award

Applicants to any school may apply for this building scholarship, though they should be pursuing a degree directly related to mechanical engineering. Verification that students are pursuing a mechanical engineering degree is required, for example, by providing copies of college applications. Applicants should demonstrate with a written essay their understanding of mechanical engineering and modular construction. This online application will be used to determine eligibility as well as select a winning student.

Resources

The MBI website at www.modular.org, the Geary Pacific website , and the Bard Manufacturing website all offer free and important information about heating and air conditioning products and services as well as modular buildings. Two articles on the MBI website by Maury Tiernan are particularly popular:

“What is Air Balance?”

“The Function of HVAC Control Options”

Applications are due September 15.

Student Scholarships to Attend World of Modular

The MBI Educational Foundation trustees have unanimously agreed to award construction industry scholarships to students that desire to attend the MBI annual convention and tradeshow called World of Modular (WOM). Kelly Williams, chair of the Foundation in 2022, summarized the decision by saying, “Students have expressed an interest in attending the event for years, but have been prohibited by the cost of hotel, travel, and registration fees. WOM offers the best opportunity for education, professional development, and training to anyone interested in commercial modular construction—from seasoned industry veterans to students that know very little about this innovative construction method.”

The Foundation currently pays for four students to attend WOM, including hotel and registration fees. Students are responsible for their own travel expenses, since many cost-conscious options for building scholarships are already available. Each student receives up to $1500 in support, based on hotel and registration fees at the time of the event. WOM is typically held in March or April in convention cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio.