The Crystal Group Innovation Scholarship was founded in 2014 as a way to celebrate and encourage the spirit of innovation, which we embrace in all aspects of our business. Each year, we award fulltime undergraduate students with a $1,000 scholarship based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, and participation in both school and community activities while pursuing an undergraduate degree in business, engineering, or related major.
2022 Innovation Scholarship recipients
Makaila L. Forkell is a junior at Colorado State University Global pursuing a BA in Human Resource Management. Makaila has a completed her associate’s degree in applied sciences with a paralegal emphasis and received her paralegal certificate. During her freshman year of college, she was accepted into Phi Theta Kappa honor society and has continued to thrive working towards her continued education. Currently, as a paralegal, Makaila assists a small firm in estate planning and probate cases across Colorado.
Upon graduation, Makaila is planning to merge her degrees and work for larger paralegal teams and firms. With the overall hopes of assisting attorneys in growing stronger paralegal teams and advocating for estate planning for all families no matter the circumstances.
Sam Gibson is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln studying mechanical engineering and engineering leadership. During his freshman year, he joined the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Club and quickly realized the impact it created at his university. By his sophomore year, Sam was elected president and had begun facilitating networking events with professors and industry leaders. Sam currently is a Technical Sales Engineer in the energy industry and hopes to continually develop sustainable and innovative technologies further developing our energy resiliency.
Upon graduation in 2023, Sam aspires to pursue a career in technology, engineering, and energy to further advance our society utilizing sustainability measures.
Jed R. Wyse is a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Industrial Engineering and Entrepreneurship. Over his high school and college experiences Jed has completed nine internships ranging in various fields including the technology and defense sector, the finance industry, pharmaceutical manufacturing, wind turbine decommissioning, and Iceland Anthropology. Jed recently was inducted as an Innovation Gold Fellow at Iowa State University and has been featured on the College Tour as an innovator and won the innovation design sprint challenge during the IGNITE Innovation Showcase at Iowa State for his work with Energy Vault. Jed is a member of Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, Cardinal Key Honor Society, and has served as Vice President for his fraternity, FarmHouse.
Upon graduation, Jed plans to pursue a career in process improvement for a smaller-sized company that allows him to be creative and innovative, supporting a product that improves lives.