Oakton Community College Awards the Frick RFID Technology Scholarship to Sophomore Vincent Sutcliffe

Oakton Community College of Des Plaines, Ill., has awarded this year’s $1,000 William Frick & Company RFID Technology Scholarship to sophomore Vincent Sutcliffe of Niles, Ill.

“Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a still a young, emerging technology that is rapidly evolving,” said Jeffrey Brandt, president of William Frick & Company, a leading producer of RFID tags as well as other custom identification products like labels, signs and utility markers. “As a creator of RFID tags, it’s good for our company to be aware of the latest technological advancements and to support the education of those who will drive tomorrow’s innovation.”

William Frick first offered the RFID scholarship in 2007 to a full- or part-time Oakton Community College student majoring in RFID.  Frick also provided significant hardware support for Oakton’s RFID lab at the Ray Hartstein Campus in Skokie, Ill. – the only community college in northern Illinois with an RFID laboratory.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that William Frick has provided,” said 2010 scholarship winner Vincent Sutcliffe, a second year student at Oakton.  “The funds will help pay for tuition and books toward my associate degree in RFID.”

Sutcliffe enrolled in the RFID curriculum at Oakton Community College because it enabled him to gain hands on experience with cutting edge technology, at a fraction of the cost, compared to other institutions.  “I have several years of experience in various skilled trades and manufacturing, most recently RFID internship experience. ” Sutcliffe said.  “RFID can be used in virtually every industry and most applications, so it enables me to conduct the role of liaison between the production floor and the office.”

Oakton Community College’s Department Chair and Professor of Division II Mathematics and Technologies, Majid Ghadri, noted that the school’s Educational Foundation awarded 444 scholarships in 2010 valued at $510,000.  “There’s something really rewarding about helping talented and hard-working students succeed,” said Ghadri.  “However, we at the community college level recognize that education has a practical side.  We could not accomplish all we do without the support of businesses like William Frick.”

The selection criteria for winning the Frick scholarship include strong interest in RFID, at least a 2.5 GPA, an essay and excellence in course work.

“The scholarship is intended to encourage a student with promise in the field, and Vince definitely has that,” said Brandt.  “We at William Frick look forward to seeing what this young man does with his considerable interest and abilities in the field of RFID.”