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Twenty-nine MCAA Student Chapters submitted a proposal for the MCAA Water Park project. Congratulations to the Final Four and Merit Award teams. Final Four teams will present their proposals on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 17th on the main stage at MCAA26 in Phoenix, AZ.

This is the 25^th year of the MCAA Student Chapter Competition and the student teams were asked to submit a proposal as the mechanical contractor. This included the completion of all aquatic plumbing and any other work related to complete the project as described in the bid documents. The teams were also tasked with purchasing the HVAC equipment, materials and providing all necessary labor and construction equipment to complete the entire project scope.

Thank you to the following companies for their special contributions to the competition project:

• Helm Group (supplying the project)
• DEWALT (sponsoring the competition prizes)
• Procore (use of their Project Management software)
• Trimble (use of Trimble Estimation MEP and/or AutoBid software)
• Ferguson (providing pricing for pipe valves and fittings)

25 Years of the Student Chapter Competition – Winning Teams:

• 2002 – University of Washington
• 2003 – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
• 2004 – Georgia Tech
• 2005 – Oregon State University
• 2006 – University of Nebraska
• 2007 – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• 2008 – University of Washington
• 2009 – Northeastern University
• 2010 – University of Washington
• 2011 – Milwaukee School of Engineering
• 2012 – Southern Polytechnic State University
• 2013 – Milwaukee School of Engineering
• 2014 – Southern Polytechnic State University
• 2015 – McMaster University
• 2016 – University of Nebraska
• 2017 – University of Missouri – Columbia
• 2018 – Colorado State University
• 2019 – Milwaukee School of Engineering
• 2020 – No Winner Announced (Ball State, UMD, Missouri-Columbia, MSOE)
• 2021 – Fairleigh Dickinson University
• 2022 – McMaster University
• 2023 – Pittsburg State University
• 2024 – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• 2025 – McMaster University
• 2026 – Announced at MCAA26!

For a fourth year, Trimble will be providing a $5,000 scholarship to one student chapter competition first-round participant who has expressed interest in a career as an estimator within the mechanical contracting industry.  The Trimble Future Estimator Scholarship, along with 24 additional JRGF scholarships, will be presented at the Awards of Excellence Breakfast on Wednesday, March 18^th.

Visit the JRGF website for more information about the Trimble scholarship and the many other student scholarships that are available each year. To keep up with the latest on MCAA’s student chapter programming, visit MCAA’s Career Development Initiative page.

The 2026 JRGF Internship Grant program provides valuable support directly to MCAA student chapters, employers and affiliated associations. Applications are currently available for all three categories. Click the corresponding link, fill out the form and apply for a grant to help support internship programming.

Student Chapters – Due January 15^th

What are the 2026 Internship Grant Details for Student Chapters?

Student Chapter Internship Grants are intended to offer additional support to MCAA student chapters that are successfully connecting students with internship and full-time employment in the mechanical contracting industry.  Chapters are encouraged to utilize this funding to bring additional students to future mechanical educational conferences such as the MCAA Convention, MCAA GreatFutures Forum, or one of the five Attendance Scholarship Conferences (WiMI, Fabrication Conference, MEP Innovation Conference, Safety & Health Conference, or MSCA). 

• Up to $500 per mechanical intern from the 2025 calendar year.
• Up to $1,000 per full-time new hire in mechanical from the 2025 calendar year.
• Submitted by the Faculty Advisor or Industry Advisor.
• One application will be accepted per school, per grant type.
• Must be submitted with a photo of the intern/new hire on the jobsite, at the office, by a company logo, or in company swag.
  • Interns and full-time new hires must be active participants in a student chapter at a four-year college or university, or previous participants who recently graduated.
  • The minimum eligible internship duration is eight weeks and may have occurred at any time during the 2025 calendar year.

What’s the timeline for the Student Chapter Form?

• Both the intern form and new hire forms are due by January 15, 2026.
• Chapters will be notified of grant awards in March 2026.

Employers – Due April 1^st 

What are the 2026 Internship Grant Details for Employers?

These grants are Intended to offer support to mechanical contracting companies that are new to offering internships, are small companies, or are looking to grow their internship programs in the mechanical industry.

• $1,000 grant (25 total selected, based on application).
• Submitted by the company.
• One application per company location.
  • Intern may be from any 4-year accredited college or university. The internship must be in the mechanical contracting industry.
  • The minimum eligible internship duration is eight weeks and may be planned to occur at any time during 2026.  

What’s the timeline for the Employer Form?

• Forms are due by April 1, 2026, for planned 2026 internships.
• Employers will be notified of grant awards in May 2026.

Affiliated Associations – Due April 1^st 

What are the 2026 Internship Grant Details for Affiliated Associations?

These grants are intended to offer support for the development and growth of local student chapter programming that creates new employment opportunities or student inclusivity at events with potential employers and/or mentoring programs or new resources for student chapters.

• $5,000 grant (5 total selected, based on application).
• Submitted by the Affiliated Association Executive or Staff Member.
• One application per Affiliated Association, covering all related 4-year schools with student chapters. 

What’s the timeline for the Affiliated Association Form?

• Forms are due by April 1, 2026, for 2026 calendar year plans.
• Affiliated Associations will be notified of grant awards in May 2026.

Looking for more info on the MCAA Career Development Initiative?

Contact Michele Hoffman (mhoffman@mcaa.org) or visit MCAA’s Career Development Initiative page to learn more about student chapter programming. 

Also, be sure to check out the JRGF website to explore the work the John R. Gentille Foundation is doing to further education and research in the mechanical industry.

The John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF) Internship Grant program was upgraded in 2025 to offer a new level of support for the multiple entities involved with developing the future talent of our industry. 

Therefore, Part 1 of the ‘legacy program’ (internships) was discontinued at the conclusion of 2024. However, to allow for Part 1 interns from 2024 to be hired upon graduation in 2025, the Part 2 (full-time new hires) remained active throughout 2025.

Don’t miss your company’s chance to submit a Part 2 grant. The final due date for the legacy program is December 31, 2025.

What are the details on submitting a Part 2 Internship Grant?

• Due by December 31, 2025, then discontinued in 2026.
• For companies successfully converting an intern from their previous Part 1 list (2024 or earlier) to a full-time new hire in 2025, a $500 check will be mailed to the company, to present to their new hire. 
• New hire conversions are unlimited, but the name must have been included on a Part 1 list.

2026 will be here before we know it! Program details for the new year follow.

2026 Program – Employers

What are the 2026 internship Grant Details for Employers?

Intended to offer support to mechanical contracting companies that are new to offering internships, small companies, or those that are looking to grow their internship program in the mechanical industry.

• $1,000 grant (25 total available)
• Due April 1, 2026, for 2026 planned internships.
• Notified of award by May 1, 2026.
• Submitted by the company. One application per company location.
  • 8-week internship minimum may occur any time during 2026. Intern may be from any 4-year accredited college or university. Internship must be in the mechanical contracting industry.
  • Following the internship, a photo must be submitted with the intern on the jobsite, at the office, by a company sign, or in branded swag.

2026 Program – Affiliated Associations

What are the 2026 Internship Grant Details for Affiliated Associations?

Intended to offer support for the development and growth of local student chapter programming that creates new employment opportunities or student inclusivity at events with potential employers and/or mentoring programs/new resources for student chapters. 

• $5,000 grant (5 total available)
• Due April 1, 2026 for 2026 plans.
• Notified of award by May 1, 2026.
• Submitted by the Affiliated Association Executive or Staff.
  • One application will be accepted per Affiliated Association, covering all related 4-year schools with student chapters.

2026 Program – Student Chapters

What are the 2026 Internship Grant Details for Student Chapters?

Intended to offer additional support to student chapters that are successfully connecting students with internship and full-time employment in the mechanical contracting industry.  Chapters are encouraged to utilize this funding to bring additional students to future mechanical educational conference such as the MCAA GreatFutures Forum or MCAA Convention.

Student Chapter: Internship Grant Forms for 2026

• Up to $500 per intern from 2025.
• Up to $1,000 per full-time new hire from 2025.
• Due January 15, 2026 for interns/new hires from the 2025 calendar year (January 2025 – December 2025).
• Notified of award in March 2026.
• Submitted by the Faculty Advisor or Industry Advisor.
• One application will be accepted per school, per grant type. 
• Must be submitted with a photo of the intern/new hire on the jobsite, at the office, by a company logo or in company swag.
  • Interns and full-time new hires must be active participants in a student chapter at a 4-year college or university.
  • Minimum eligible internship duration is 8 weeks and may have occurred at any time during the 2025 calendar year.

Looking for more information on the MCAA Career Development Initiative? 

Contact Michele Hoffman (mhoffman@mcaa.org) or visit MCAA’s Career Development Initiative page to learn more about student chapter programming.   

Also be sure to check out the JRGF website to explore the work the John R. Gentille Foundation is doing to further education and research in the mechanical industry.  

While everyone else is thinking about travel plans, side dishes and stretchy pants, students are using their November downtime to dig into their employment options for Summer 2026. Don’t miss out on finding the ideal candidates with the MCAA GreatFutures Job Board!

Posting to the MCAA GreatFutures Job Board is easy and is a free benefit of MCAA membership. Secure your summer 2026 intern(s) or a freshly graduated new hire(s) from one of our 40+ MCAA student chapters.

How do I post to the MCAA GreatFutures Job Board?

1.  Login with an MCAA username and password. 
2.  Click on the job board within the Career Development page. 
3.  Click Manage My Jobs and Add a Job to create your posting. 

•  Jobs remain active for 1 month to ensure postings stay fresh. 
•  When the job is set to expire, a reminder will be sent for you to either “mark as filled” or “duplicate” and repost for another month. 
•  Interested students can view postings and submit their contact information and resumes. 

4. Your office will be notified via email when interested students submit their resumes. 
5.  From there, your office is encouraged to continue with your company’s application and interview process. 

Where do I find the MCAA GreatFutures Job Board?

How are new internships and jobs promoted to students?

New jobs are highlighted every two weeks on the mcaagreatfutures Instagram page.  

Where can I get more information on the MCAA Career Development Initiative?

Contact Michele Hoffman (mhoffman@mcaa.org) or visit MCAA’s Career Development Initiative page to learn more about student chapter programming. 

Also be sure to check out the JRGF website to explore the work the John R. Gentille Foundation is doing to further education and research in the mechanical industry.

The John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF) is proud to announce that the John W. Danforth Company has made a generous $100,000 commitment to support the continuation of the Reilly Family Memorial Scholarship. This significant contribution reflects Danforth’s ongoing dedication to investing in the next generation of mechanical contracting professionals and honoring the legacy of the family that helped shape the company’s success.

The Reilly Family Memorial Scholarship, valued at $5,000 annually, commemorates the lasting impact of the Reilly family’s leadership within Danforth and the broader mechanical contracting industry. Kevin “Duke” Reilly, who served as Chairman and CEO, continued the family’s long tradition of excellence, following in the footsteps of Wayne, Patrick, and Emmett Reilly. Collectively, the Reillys contributed 128 years of service and leadership to Danforth and to the advancement of the mechanical contracting industry.

The donation includes funding of the scholarship for 10 years as well as a $50,000 donation to JRGF initiatives. As one of MCAA’s charter members, the John W. Danforth Company has played a vital role in shaping the direction of the industry and fostering innovation, education, and professional development. This scholarship, administered through the JRGF, ensures that the values and leadership exemplified by the Reilly family will continue to inspire future generations of mechanical contracting leaders.

JRGF thanks the John W. Danforth Company for its generous donation and looks forward to the presentation of the next Reilly Family Memorial Scholarship at MCAA26.

The John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF), ELECTRI International, and the New Horizons Foundation have partnered with Stratus to conduct a State of the Industry Survey for MEP contractors.

This survey explores how leaders are addressing today’s most pressing challenges — including key KPIs used to manage performance, labor constraints, technology adoption, fabrication efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.

By taking part, you will:

• Receive early access to the full report and insights before public release.
• Gain visibility into how peers across the MEP industry are adapting to similar challenges.
• Contribute to a data-driven understanding of the opportunities ahead for the MEP sector.

Survey results will be shared with participants and presented at the 2026 MEP Innovation Conference in Austin, TX.