RPTA SCHOLARSHIP

The Recycled Paperboard Technical Association has established (2) $5,000 scholarship to recognize outstanding students who are interested in the recycled paperboard industry.
To qualify, students must meet the following criteria:
- Earn a 3.25 GPA
- Declare a Paper Engineering or Science major
- Served (or intend to serve) as a cooperative student or intern at a recycled paperboard mill
- Comply with applicable requirements for maintaining paper foundation scholarships of your school
- Comply with applicable scholarship policies of your school
Click here to access the 2023 Scholarship Application form.
ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY March 15, 2023.
For further information please contact: Jackie Howe at (202) 347-9069 or jhowe@rpta.org.
2023 RPTA SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The 2023 recipients of the RPTA Scholarship were:
- Alex Edward Boyd, Western Michigan University — Paper Engineering and Chemical Engineering
- Isabelle Ownby, Western Michigan University — Paper Engineering and Chemical Engineering
The RPTA is excited about the opportunity to support college students pursuing degrees in paper science majors. Each year it's challenging to select just two recipients out of a group of very deserving applicants. All of the applicants are high academic achievers and have a great many hours working as interns in the pulp and paper industry.
These scholarships, by supporting their college studies, help prepare the students for careers in the pulp and paper industry. In the future, when they join our industry as leaders, they will certainly be focused on the industry's efforts to continuously improve the products our members make while conserving the natural resources used in our mills.This year's recipients, Boyd and Ownby, are excellent students and very accomplished individuals. We look forward to when they will become full-time members of our industry. Applications for the 2024 scholarship program will be available early next year.
This year's recipients, Boyd and Ownby, are excellent students and very accomplished individuals. We look forward to when they will become full-time members of our industry. Applications for the 2024 scholarship program will be available early next year
Isabelle Ownby was awarded the first annual “Joanne Arnold Scholarship”. Joanne Arnold worked at RPTA for over 25 years and played a significant role in the development of RPTA’s technical programs. This scholarship honors her commitment to her work and all that she did throughout her career to advance opportunities for women in engineering roles.
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Alex Edward Boyd and Isabelle Ownby, both from Western Michigan University, receiving 2023 RPTA Scholarships from RPTA Chairman of the Board, Joe Michaud of Greif, Inc. |

LATEST NEWS
2023 Industry Profile Study
The 2023 Industry Profile Study has been published and distributed to members. The study included 209 grade samples off 65 paper machines at 47 RPTA-member mills. Members can access this report, and prior year reports, at this member-only page. Each member company also received custom, confidential Excel workbooks by email with the samples from their paper machines identified.
Narrow Roll Safety Guideline
Narrow rolls, also known as ribbon rolls, represent a heightened risk of injury due to their unstable configuration. A task team of RPTA members developed a guideline that provides options that mills may consider to protect employees who handle narrow rolls, or will be in the vicinity of narrow rolls. The Guideline is available at this web page.
Summer 2023 Webinar
On July 20th we held a webinar on Treatment Technologies for Wastewater Reuse, presented by Everett Gill and Kristen Jenkins of Brown and Caldwell Engineering. The webinar covered technologies that can reduce the concentration of one or more chemicals in process water or mill effluent. Presentation slides and recordings from the webinar are available to RPTA members only at this web page.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2023 RPTA Fall Roundtable
NEW PAPER MILL TECHNOLOGY
The annual member-only event will be held October 18 and 19 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This year’s Roundtable will include:
- Seminar by Voith and Valmet
- Group Dinner
- Tour of Graphic Packaging Mill Tour
Use this link to register.
And this link for detailed information on the Roundtable, including travel information.