From left: Elizabeth Rothermel, Sreyansh Mamidi, Puranjay Gupta, Dan Ross, president of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, Jack Tower, grandson of Howard D. Colman, Ryan Barrack, Hannah Jacobson, and Ryan Anderson display their scholarship certificates at the historic Barber-Colman Complex on Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Rockford. (Photo provided by Community Foundation of Northern Illinois)
    From news release
    Rock River Current
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    ROCKFORD — The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois honored six students Thursday with scholarships honoring the legacy of Howard Colman during a ceremony at the historic Barber-Colman factory complex.

    Sreyansh Mamidi was named the 2022 Howard D. Colman Scholar. Mamidi graduated from the Illinois Math and Science Academy in 2021 and recently finished his freshman year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is pursuing a degree in electrical and biomedical engineering. He is the 11th Colman Scholar, which includes eligibility to receive $32,500 in scholarship funding while pursuing an undergraduate degree.

    Elizabeth Rothermel, from Durand High School’s Class of 2021, was named the 2022 Colman Scholarship Honoree.

    Related: ‘Finally, the right match’: Pitch to redevelop Barber-Colman spurs optimism in south Rockford

    The foundation also honored Ryan Anderson of Hononegah High School, Ryan Barrack of Pecatonica High School, Puranjay Gupta of Auburn High School, and Hannah Jacobson of Winnebago High School, as the 2022 Howard D. Colman Scholarship recipients. They will each receive $2,500 and are placed into a hand-on, paid internship at a local company.

    The scholarships are awarded annually to graduating high school seniors from Boone and Winnebago counties who will major in engineering, computer science, applied science, or a comparable technological field. They must have a grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

    One of the this year’s recipients will be named the 2023 Howard D. Colman Scholar next year.

    The Howard D. Colman Scholarship program is named after the local inventor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the Barber-Colman Company. The scholarship was established by Colman’s daughter, Ruth Colman Tower. The scholarships were presented by Colman’s grandson, Jack Tower, and several other descendants of Howard Colman were in attendance.

    Related: Want to know what Barber-Colman in Rockford could become? Look to Racine, Wisconsin

    This year’s reception was held on the grounds of the former Barber-Colman Co., which co-founded by Howard Colman. The site is now owned by the city of Rockford, which is working on plans to sell the property to Milwaukee-based developer J. Jeffers & Co. The real estate company plans to redevelop the complex into a mix of apartments, lofts and commercial businesses.

    Some of the companies scholars are matched with for internships are Leading Edge Hydraulics, University of Illinois – Chicago College of Medicine at Rockford, Raytheon Technologies, Crandall Stats & Sensors, Fehr Graham, Ingenium Aerospace, Regal Cutting & Tools, Woods Equipment, and the city of Rockford.

    Related: ‘Your city cares about you’: Rockford Promise has record number of free tuition scholarships 
    Charles Colman, grandson of Howard Colman, Sandy Tower, Jack Tower, grandson of Howard Colman, Julie Colman-Brown, granddaughter of
    Howard Colman, Adam Brown, great-grandson of Howard Colman, Jenny Tower-Thompson, great-granddaughter of Howard Colman, Emmett Thompson, great-great-grandson of Howard
    Colman. (Photo provided by Community Foundation of Northern Illinois)