Calls for Contributions to Support Future Medical Device & Pharmaceutical Packaging Leaders
Arlington, Virginia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 10, 2025) - The AAMI Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Michael Scholla Packaging Engineering Scholarship Fund, a new philanthropic initiative created to support students pursuing packaging engineering.
The Foundation invites individuals, companies, and partners across the packaging and life sciences communities to contribute to the fund and help expand opportunities for the next generation of healthcare packaging professionals.
In its inaugural year of 2026, the scholarship will award $3,000 to a qualified student who has demonstrated commitment to a career in medical device or pharmaceutical packaging. The application deadline is February 15, 2026. The scholarship recipient will be invited to attend the upcoming AAMI neXus conference in April. If the recipient can attend, the Foundation will cover the conference registration fee and accommodations to help connect the recipient with mentors, innovators, and employers at this premier AAMI industry event.
"Healthcare packaging is mission-critical; it protects patients, preserves product integrity, and supports safe use in clinical settings," said Ralph J. Basile of the AAMI Foundation. "By contributing to the Michael Scholla Scholarship Fund, donors are investing directly in emerging packaging engineering talent committed to improving medical device and pharmaceutical packaging." While one scholarship will be awarded in this first year, as the Fund grows in the future, so will the number of scholarship recipients. "Our Miller HTM Scholarship program began in 2009 with a modest number of scholarship recipients. In 2025, we awarded 20 scholarships, the most ever. We envision the same thing for the future of the packaging scholarship program."
A demonstrated commitment to careers in medical device or pharmaceutical packaging is a prerequisite for consideration for the scholarship.
Honoring a Legacy of Leadership in Medical Packaging
The Michael Scholla Packaging Engineering Scholarship Fund honors Michael "Mike" H. Scholla, PhD, an Emeritus Medical Packaging Fellow at DuPont Medical Packaging and a widely respected leader in the sterile medical packaging community. He was also a long-time leader within AAMI and the broader medical device community, recognized for advancing the field and mentoring others.
How to Support the Fund
The AAMI Foundation invites contributions from organizations and individuals who want to strengthen the future of healthcare packaging. Support can include:
Corporate contributions: Donate online.
Individual gifts: Donate online.
If you have questions related to invoicing, opportunities for recognition, and fund details, please contact the AAMI Foundation at info@aamifoundation.org. Inquiries from the trade press can be directed to the AAMI media team at dvisnovsky@aami.org.
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