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HOUGHTON - When Michigan Technological University student Kenneth Brooks got the call over winter break informing him he had won a $25,000 scholarship, he could not believe it.

"Frankly, I still don't know, it hasn't hit me yet," Brooks said after a presentation ceremony Friday when asked how he felt about getting the metallurgy scholarship awarded by the Ellwood Group, Inc. "It'll come in handy, that's for sure."

Brooks is a fourth-year materials science and engineering major, who also is the president of the Innovative Casting Enterprise at Tech. He will intern with EGI this summer. He worked for Ford last summer making custom aluminum plaques for historic homes in Detroit.

Michigan Tech students, staff and faculty gathered Friday in the Memorial Union Building to watch Brooks receive the scholarship from Marie Russo, Benefits and Human Resources Manager for EGI. Based in Pennsylvania, the company produces engineered, heavy metal sections for capital specialty equipment manufacturers in the United States and around the world, according to their web site. Brooks, a fourth-year materials science and engineering major, will intern with the company this summer. Brooks also serves as the president of Tech's Innovative Casting Enterprise, which he described as a student-run business.

At the presentation, Russo read remarks from members of the committee that selected Brooks for the scholarship.

"Ken was selected as the scholarship recipient due to his demonstrated interest in metallurgy as a career via his extensive involvement in the Innovative Casting Enterprise," she read. "Also, Ken's academic record improved significantly when he switched into the Materials Science and Engineering program, indicating a sincere interest in this field of study."

In closing, she congratulated Michigan Tech for developing an outstanding metallurgic student and Ken's parents for raising him to be a responsible young man.

Materials Science and Engineering Department Chair Mark Plichta also spoke about Brooks. Plichta, who advises two enterprises, said Brooks' leaderships skills have allowed ICE to run smoothly.

"Ken is one of the good ones," he said. "He has a very strong interest in metallurgy and he's going to be very successful."

Brooks, who will graduate spring 2010, said he is excited for his internship.

"(I'm) looking forward to getting real experience," he said. "It'll be fun to take what we do here on the enterprise and see it in full-scale or large, real-world production."

Layla Aslani can be reached at laslani@mininggazette.com.