Gentex scholarship helps Zeeland grad pursue STEM degree at Kettering

Ashley Cramer didn’t expect to fall in love with spreadsheets. But when she joined her high school robotics team, she did just that.

She used data to guide her team’s strategy and built tools to turn numbers into insight. That experience led her to a new goal: computer science.

Now, the Zeeland East High School graduate is heading to Kettering University. She’s the 2025 recipient of the Amanda Clark Scholarship, awarded by the Gentex Foundation. The scholarship supports young women pursuing college degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math.

Cramer will receive $5,000 for her first year. The award is renewable for up to three additional years, totaling $20,000.

“As the head scout on our F.I.R.S.T. Robotics team, I created complex spreadsheets that take our quantitative data at competitions and transform it into strategic insight,” she wrote in her essay. “I’ve found my love for spreadsheets and the back-end calculations/code through this experience.”

Supporting younger students

Cramer also helped others explore STEM. She started an elementary robotics team, designed lessons, and led after-school sessions for younger students.

“She is always looking for new challenges,” says Zeeland Public Schools English teacher Corrinne Mielke. “Her leadership earned her a nomination to the Dean’s List 2024.”

Cramer has also spoken up at the state level. As a Women Code Ambassador for Code.org, she testified in support of state legislation, signed into law this year, that requires all Michigan public schools to offer computer science.

Ashley Cramer at a robotics competition.

“I’m excited to explore my passions more in college and be a role model to other women who are interested in STEM,” Cramer says.

The Amanda Clark Scholarship was created in 2022. It honors Amanda Clark, a longtime Gentex engineer and the first in her family to attend college, who died in 2021. Five students have received the award so far.

Seth Bushouse, vice president of human resources at Gentex, says the scholarship reflects both Amanda Clark’s legacy and the company’s desire to build a stronger talent pipeline.

“Amanda was a talented engineer, a mentor, and someone who always encouraged others,” he says. “We want this scholarship to support students who bring that same energy and dedication.”

Building on legacy

The scholarship is awarded based on academic performance, personal essays, and letters of recommendation. Amanda’s daughter, Ally Torres, is a member of the selection committee and a manufacturing chemist at Gentex.

“She always taught my three sisters and me to make our own path,” Torres says. “Amanda would be thrilled to know her legacy is helping other young women pursue STEM careers.”

Bushouse says reading the essays is one of the most rewarding parts of the process.

GentexAshley Cramer

“You see these students’ passion for STEM, their dreams, their grit,” he says. “Ashley stood out for how she’s already using her skills to give back.”

The Amanda Clark Scholarship is part of the Gentex Foundation’s commitment to education and local support. The foundation also provides grants for job training, mental health programs, housing support, and other community needs.

More information and application details are available at gentexfoundation.org/amanda-clark-scholarship. Learn more about the Gentex Foundation’s work at gentexfoundation.org.

Photos courtesy of Gentex