2015 Scholar of the Year: William Warren

A husband and father of five, William worked for years in a steady job operating a forklift, but his heart was always in the arts. While his wife had earned a Master’s Degree, he had put off completing his GED. Together, they encouraged their children to do well in school, and he wanted to set a better example for them by continuing his education to open up new opportunities for a better career.

At NexStep Alliance, a partnership between Goodwill and Wichita Area Technical College, William discovered a way to combine his love of art with a large local industry – aerospace. While taking GED prep courses, he completed college-level Aviation classes all at the NexStep campus. William earned his GED and, this spring, he’ll graduate WATC with an Associate’s Degree in Aerospace Coatings & Paint. He recently accepted a full-time position in the industry and hopes to one day get his dream job – to manage a crew that paints themed aircraft.