Thomas Wanke was a monumental figure in fluid power, active for more than 50 years and influencing generations of fluid power engineers through his work at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, its Fluid Power Institute, and with the National Fluid Power Association.
In October of 2022, to honor his memory, and to help ensure that his positive impact on fluid power education continues to be felt, the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation announced that it would administer the Thomas Wanke Legacy Fund, a dedicated funding mechanism that supports fluid power scholarships and education activities at universities throughout the United States.
Since making the announcement, total donations to the fund at the time of this writing, exceed $30,000. One significant milestone associated with that figure is that it qualifies for the maximum matching gift of $25,000 that was pledged by the National Fluid Power Association – meaning that the fund has more than $55,000 to use in supporting fluid power education.
In its third year, thanks to generous donations from Tom’s many friends, former students, and colleagues, three scholarships and one Fluid Power Club received Tom Wanke Legacy Fund awards administered through the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation. In total, $9,500 in awards from the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund were dispersed in 2025.
Each scholarship awardee received $2,500 toward their tuition expenses. When selecting the awardees of the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund, members of the NFPA Scholarship Review Committee were looking for students who were:
- Passionate in their academics
- Active in extracurricular activities
- Dedicated to obtaining careers in the fluid power industry
Based on that criterion, NFPA industry member judges selected Kayla Vallecillo, Keira Boone, and Ousmane Nikiema. Below are reflections from the 2025 award recipients:
“I am deeply honored to receive the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Award, a recognition that serves as a reminder of the important contributions to science and engineering that have been sparked by research of fluid power. Mr. Wanke had an inspiring and active career in fluid power, and his lifetime contributions and achievements have inspired me to follow a similar path. Receiving this award has contributed to my academic journey in aerospace engineering, and I’m incredibly honored to receive an award which reflects the legacy of fluid power pioneers in modern science.”
-Kayla Vallecillo, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
“My interest in fluid power began with pneumatics on my FIRST Robotics team, where I saw the precision, power, and potential of these systems in action. I later explored its broader applications through internships in materials science, electrochemical engineering, and hydroponics, where fluid dynamics and flow control are essential. Each experience revealed both the strengths and the limitations of fluid power, and inspired me to work on improving its efficiency, durability, and versatility. The field’s relevance to both innovation and sustainability makes it a natural fit for my interests.” -Keira Boone, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chemical & Materials Science Engineering
“Winning this award motivates me to keep learning and contributing to the field with the same passion Tom Wanke inspired in so many students. I was introduced to fluid power during my internship at Enerpac, where I realized how essential it is to design smarter industrial tools. That experience, combined with my co-op at MSOE’s Fluid Power Institute, showed me how electrical systems and hydraulics can work together.”
-Ousmane Nikiema, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Additionally, Purdue University received a $2,000 Fluid Power Club stipend through the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund. They were selected to receive this recognition because of the invaluable opportunities Purdue University provides for students to explore the field of fluid power.
As Purdue celebrates this recognition, Associate Professor Dr. Jose Garcia-Bravo reflected on the impact Tom Wanke had on his own career and on the broader fluid power community:
"I first met Tom Wanke in 2012 during a visit to MSOE, at the very start of my career as a professor in fluid power. From that encounter, I remember not only the deep respect I had due to his vast knowledge, but also his passion for the field, his dedication to students, and the kindness he showed me.
Over the years, I had the privilege of meeting him at conferences and events, and I saw firsthand how influential he was in inspiring younger generations of fluid power professionals.
This year, we are honored that the Purdue Fluid Power Club has received this award. We deeply appreciate Mr. Wanke’s contributions to the profession and look forward to continuing our work through initiatives such as the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge and industry visits organized by the National Fluid Power Association."
-Dr. Jose Garcia-Bravo, Associate Professor, School of Engineering Technology, Purdue University
Through a series of annual awards from the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund, we will be able to increase both the number of students studying fluid power, and the quality of fluid power education in our nation’s universities – two goals clearly aligned with and ennobled by Tom’s life and legacy. Additional donations are welcome and still being accepted at this link. Since 2023, nine students and three fluid power clubs have been awarded a Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Scholarship, totaling $25,500.
Please contact NFPA President and CEO, Eric Lanke, at elanke@nfpa.com or 414-778-3351 with any questions.
Are you interested in getting involved with the 2025-2026 Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Scholarship and Fluid Power Club Awardees? Contact Haley Nemeth at hnemeth@nfpa.com to:
- Serve on the NFPA Scholarship Review Committee to participate in the process that selects Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Scholarship Awards
- Engage with Purdue's Fluid Power Club and Engineering Students
