Phoenix Section

History

Ted Thal was a significant contributor to the establishment of Quality Assurance programs in Arizona. A scholarship honoring these contributions was established by the ASQ Phoenix Section and approved by ASQC National in 1993. This scholarship program is administered by the ASU Foundation.

The amount available for awards from the Fund shall be used on an annual basis to provide scholarship support for undergraduate students in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. ASQ Phoenix Section’s typical annual scholarship donation is around $2,000, divided among the selected awardees. This $2,000 may also include – and/or be supplemented – by an amount from the endowment Fund. In administering the Fund, the ASU Foundation will pay to the ASU Beneficiary (ASQ Phoenix Section) the amount available for award from the with the understanding that the ASU Beneficiary will apply the amount available for award in accordance with the following criteria:

1.      Recipients must be full-time Engineering Students in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. Recipients must also maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher to qualify.

2.      Selection Process: Recipients shall be chosen by the Scholarship Office in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering.

3.      The number of awards and the amount of each award may vary from year to year, at the discretion of the ASU Beneficiary.

In 2008, the ASQ Phoenix Ted Thal Scholarship was amended to include graduate students in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. For graduate students, preference is given to those who are members of ASQ. (Student membership is just $31 per year).

The Ted Thal Scholarship, administered by ASU Foundation, is set up as an endowment, meaning that anyone -individual, business, other entities- is eligible to donate to the scholarship corpus. Each year, the ASQ Phoenix Section member leaders work with ASU Foundation to review the eligible Ted Thal scholarship applications. ASU Foundations awards the scholarship money to the winning students, minus a $150 processing fee, in accordance with ASQ Phoenix Section’s expressed allocation formula.

2025-2026 Ted Thal Scholarship Winners

Farhad Alemi:

This generous award will significantly facilitate the pursuit of my Computer Science degree at Arizona State University (ASU). I chose ASU for its exceptional computational research initiatives and collaborative ecosystem, which align perfectly with my aspiration to specialize in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. This scholarship mitigates financial constraints, empowering me to concentrate ardently on my studies, and contribute actively to ASU’s SEFCOM Lab. As a High School Internship Program mentor, I have cultivated technical mentorship skills, complementing my academic distinction as an awardee of the ASQ Ted Thal American Society for Quality Scholarship.

Micah Smith:

I am very grateful to have been selected as the recipient of the ASQ Ted Thal Scholarship. This generous support is aiding in my pursuit of a master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering at Arizona State University. Materials Science and Engineering at Arizona State University. Receiving this scholarship will ease some of the financial pressures that come with graduate study. It will help me cover the costs of tools and parking on campus—both essential for my research—as well as allow me to occasionally take a day off work to spend time with my wife and six-year-old son. Regarding my research, I’m currently part of a team investigating the sputtering and characterization of bismuth oxyselenide, a material with promising applications in next generation semiconductors. I am very excited for the direction this industry is heading, and I believe right now is the perfect time to be a part of its evolution.

Congratulations Farhad and Micah and best wishes in your degree pursuit and for a successful career!

ASQ Phoenix Section invites our Section members, friends, family, and members’ employers to make a donation to the ASQ Ted Thal Scholarship Fund, which supports students in their Quality-related academic journey. Consider adding the ASQ Ted Thal Scholarship to your legacy giving.

How to donate:

By check:
Make checks payable to ASU Foundation and mail to:
ASU Foundation
Attn: Financial Services
PO Box 2260
Tempe, AZ 85280

NOTE: Please include ‘G01650 FD400’ in the memo line

Online:
Debit or credit card donations can be made securely online at the link below:
https://www.asufoundation.org/education-and-scholarship/donor-named-funds/ted-thal-american-society-for-quality-valley-of-the-sun-phoenix-section-0704-endowment-CA111042.html