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Haley NemethMay 20, '26

Meet a Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Scholarship Awardee - Keira Boone

 
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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 students received Tom Wanke Legacy Fund awards administered through the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation. Each of these students were awarded $2,500 toward their tuition expenses. 

When selecting the awardees of the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund, the judges were looking for students who were:

  • Passionate in their academics
  • Active in extracurricular activities
  • Dedicated to obtaining careers in the fluid power industry

One of the winners, Keira Boone, is attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We asked Keira a few questions about winning the scholarship. 

Keira Boone

 What does winning this Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Award mean to you?
Receiving the Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Award affirms my hands-on journey in engineering, from welding and machining in my grandfather’s workshop to leading robotics design to conducting research in electrochemical and materials systems. It's an incredible honor to be recognized for my work so far as well as my potential in fluid power, a field I believe is central to the future of automation and sustainable industry. This award motivates me to keep bridging disciplines to improve mechanical systems and expand their impact, and I’m proud to help carry forward Tom Wanke’s legacy as part of the next generation of engineers working to advance and reimagine the field he helped shape.
 
Why did you choose to learn about fluid power?
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. 
 
What are your career aspirations? What type of fluid power job do you hope to get after you graduate?
I aim to advance manufacturing and industrial systems by integrating fluid power with smarter, stronger, and more sustainable materials. Whether it's optimizing hydraulic systems in precision machining or improving pneumatics for robotics and agricultural automation, I hope to design systems that are not only high-performing, but also energy-efficient and adaptable. My dream is to work at the intersection of materials science and mechanical engineering, contributing to the next generation of fluid power technologies that drive sustainability and performance across industries. 

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 have been awarded a Tom Wanke Legacy Fund Scholarship, totaling $19,500.

Please contact NFPA President and CEO, Eric Lanke, at elanke@nfpa.com or 414-778-3351 with any questions.

 
Haley Nemeth

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