Northwest alumnus Tim Melvin, the manager of human resources at Kawasaki, and manufacturer have added to their support of Northwest by establishing a scholarship. (Photo by Todd Weddle/Northwest Missouri State University)

Feb. 27, 2019

Kawasaki establishes Northwest scholarship to aid employees’ kids

Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corporation, an economic driver in the northwest Missouri region for nearly 30 years and the county’s largest employer, is expanding its support of Northwest Missouri State University students through the establishment of a scholarship for the dependents of Kawasaki employees. 

Kawasaki and Northwest have launched the Kawasaki Kids: Powering Your Potential Scholarship for full-time Northwest students who are dependents of a full-time Kawasaki employee.

“We’re always looking at ways that we can support education,” Tim Melvin, manager of human resources at Kawasaki, said. “It’s a great way to do that, and it’s a great way to tell our employees that, ‘hey, you and your families are important.’”

The new scholarship is available to full-time freshmen, sophomores, juniors or seniors at Northwest who are dependents of a full-time Kawasaki employee. Sophomores, juniors and seniors must have a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 to be eligible, and a short essay is required.

The Kawasaki Kids scholarship was established through a $10,000 gift to Northwest, and it’s an extension of the corporation’s continued giving in support of Northwest. 

Kawasaki also has provided $10,000 annually since establishing its Kawasaki Powering Dreams Scholarship in 2016 for students who succeed just below the highest level of academic achievement and have financial need.

Additionally, for nearly 20 years, Kawasaki has annually provided $5,000 to support Northwest’s Visiting Writers Series, an initiative of the Department of Language, Literature and Writing that brings nationally recognized fiction writers, poets and writers of creative nonfiction to campus for presentations and readings throughout the academic year.

Kawasaki’s support of the University through the Northwest Foundation, as well as support of Bearcat athletics programs, has totaled more than $75,000 since 2014. The company also has supported such efforts as a STEM workshop for area educators and scholarships for students studying abroad.

“We believe it’s part of our responsibility as a corporate citizen, and we believe strongly that education is so important,” Melvin, a 1984 graduate of Northwest, said. “It supports the leaders of tomorrow, and we selfishly hope that maybe there’s some Kawasaki leaders that are being developed there. We hear people say Kawasaki’s done a lot for the community, but the community’s done a lot for Kawasaki as well.”

The Northwest Foundation, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, develops and stewards philanthropic resources for the benefit of the Northwest Missouri State University and its students. For more information or to make a gift to support Northwest, contact the Office of University Advancement at 660.562.1248 or advance@nwmissouri.edu.