INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — Two students will receive 2025 Educational Fund Scholarships, awarded annually by the Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA) to support the educational goals of employees and family members of TCATA member companies.
Eli Regan, son of Mary Castro-Regan, an employee at BPS Communications, earned this year’s Scholastic Scholarship. His strong academic record, leadership qualities, and commitment to higher education earned him the $2,000 annual scholarship, TCATA says. The award is renewable for up to four years.
Outside of academics, Regan is a member and leader of his high school’s FIRST Robotics Competition team and volunteers at a local co-op grocery store and as a volunteer docent at Wings of Freedom aircraft museum. He plans to study mechanical engineering at Purdue University upon graduation.
Keegan McKillip, an employee of Felins, is the first-ever recipient of TCATA’s new Vocational Program Scholarship, created to support students pursuing certifications or technical education. He was selected for this $2,000-per-year award, which supports up to two years of trade or vocational school.
McKillip began working at Felins in the summer of his junior year of high school, manufacturing parts for its Pak-Tyers and Flex-Strap machines, TCATA says. The following year, he was accepted into the Industrial Equipment Apprentice Program.
He plans to continue working with the Felins Service Department while pursuing an associate’s degree in robotics and automation engineering technology at Waukesha County Technical College.
This new scholarship, TCATA says, reflects the organization’s commitment to support a skilled and diverse workforce in the textile care industry.
“These scholarships are a way for us to invest in the future of our members and their families,” says TCATA Executive Director Luci Ward. “We congratulate Eli and Keegan on their accomplishments and are honored to support their continued education.”
To learn more about TCATA’s scholarship programs, visit www.tcata.org.
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