College of

Engineering, Architecture and Technology

^{Pictured from left: Morrow Entrenkin, Elanor Mehan, Sheridan Sherrer and Jackson Swant.}

Four Oklahoma State University students have been named recipients of scholarships from the Material Handling Education Foundation, Inc. for the 2026-27 academic year.

Morrow Entrekin, Elanor Mehen, Sheridan Sherrer and Jackson Swant, all students in OSU’s School of Industrial Engineering and Management, were among 73 students nationwide selected to receive a combined $312,300 in scholarships — the largest total in MHEFI’s history.

MHEFI awards scholarships to full-time undergraduate students pursuing studies in material handling, logistics and supply chain management. To qualify, recipients must maintain a B average in their major, and the awards, ranging from $1,500 to $6,000, must be applied toward tuition, fees or textbooks related to their academic programs.

Entrekin received the MHEFI Scholarship, valued at $5,000. Mehen was awarded the Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems Honor Scholarship, worth $5,500. Sherrer received the Automation Controls Electrification Honor Scholarship, valued at $3,000, and Swant was awarded the Ergonomic Assist Systems & Equipment Honor Scholarship, worth $3,300.

Entrekin is from Bedford, Texas, minoring in data analytics and Spanish. She hopes to pursue a career in the transportation industry, potentially in commuter rail.

“I am very honored to have received this scholarship and grateful to be in a department that helps its students find good scholarship opportunities like this one,” Entrekin said.

This past year, she also attended MHI’s MODEX 2026 Conference through IEM department scholarships, where she learned more about material handling and supply chain management. She hopes to continue her relationship with MHEFI beyond this scholarship as she keeps learning about the industry.

Sherrer is from Norman, Oklahoma, minoring in data analytics for engineers and pursuing a certificate in supply chain and logistics. She hopes to work in manufacturing with a focus on process improvement after graduation. For the past two summers, she has worked for a biomedical manufacturing company, gaining experience applying industrial engineering principles to real-world problems.

“Receiving the ACE Honor Scholarship is an incredible honor, and I am very thankful for the opportunity,” Sherrer said. “It means a lot to be recognized for my hard work, and I am excited to continue exploring the manufacturing industry.”

She hopes to use what she learns throughout her education and future experiences to help improve manufacturing processes and make a meaningful impact wherever she works. She also thanked Dr. Manjunath Kamath for nominating her and making her aware of this opportunity.

Swant is from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, minoring in data analytics and pursuing a certificate in supply chain and logistics along with a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. He serves as industry chair for OSU’s Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers chapter and is spending this summer as a manufacturing engineering intern at Enovation Controls in Tulsa, working on process improvement, engineering workflow automation and ergonomic work cell design.

“This award is especially meaningful to me because ergonomics can make a real difference in an employee's daily life,” Swant said. “It has encouraged me to continue learning how people interact with their work environment and explore practical ways that technology, automation and process improvement can make the work better.”

He also thanked the MHEFI for the opportunities it has created for him and other students.

MHEFI has awarded scholarships to top-performing students in the field for decades, connecting rising talent with the companies and professional associations that sponsor individual awards.

IEM is preparing the next generation of experts in designing, improving and managing complex engineering and industrial systems. These students are answering the Cowboy Code by fostering unique solutions to some of industry’s most challenging problems.

Story by Marianne Phu

mphu@okstate.edu