EWU Alumna Helps Launch Novelis STEM Scholarship

When EWU alumna Delaney Putnam returned to the Eastern campus last May, she came back not just as a visitor but as a working scientist helping to create new opportunities for future STEM students.

Putnam graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She soon landed a lab technologist position with Novelis, a producer of flat-rolled aluminum products and the world’s largest aluminum recycler, at the company’s Spokane Valley plant. More recently, she’s been busy helping to spark a new partnership between her firm and EWU, one that will help support Eagle students through a multi-year scholarship program.

The Novelis Aluminum STEM Scholarship provides five annual scholarships of $1,400 each to students in chemistry, engineering and MESA programs. All totaled, Novelis will contribute $35,000 to support EWU STEM students over the next five years.

Putnam said she got the idea for the scholarship after noticing several Novelis employees, herself included, are EWU alumni.

“We have three or four people on the team from EWU,” Putnam said. “I saw what other Novelis locations were doing for their local schools, and it just clicked—since we have this EWU connection, it made perfect sense to support Eastern.”

She brought the idea to her team, where it quickly gained momentum. With Putnam leading the charge, Novelis employees visited the campus, toured the Interdisciplinary Science Center and the newly renovated Science Building, and chatted with faculty to get a sense of what STEM at Eastern really looks like now.

For Putnam, the visit brought back memories of her own hands-on learning experience, which she now puts into practice every day. At Novelis, she analyzes aluminum samples for impurities, helping ensure the material’s quality before it gets shipped out to major manufacturers, among them Coca-Cola, BMW and Jaguar.

During her return to campus, Putnam rolled up her sleeves and rejoined a working lab—this time in the Geosciences 462 class taught by recent Trustee Medal of Honor recipient Carmen Nezat, a professor of geosciences and environmental science. Students in the lab are typically tasked with tackling a real-world industry challenge: breaking down aluminum samples to find impurities, for example. Watching students work through the sorts of real industry challenges familiar to Putnam reinforced her belief in the value of experiential learning. “Their curiosity was impressive,” she added.

“When I was at EWU, hands-on opportunities were pretty rare,” Putnam recalled. “It’s hard to put into words how important they are—they really help you be ready for what comes after graduation.”

 

Putnam said she is excited to watch Eastern’s Polytechnic programs continue to grow and hopes students will have even more opportunities for hands-on learning in the future.

For Novelis, this scholarship isn’t just about money—it’s about building up future talent in STEM and supporting the communities where employees live and work. Megan Durfey, an accounting professional at Novelis, sees these programs as a way to keep the industry strong while giving students a clear path from the classroom to a career.

“Novelis has always wanted to back STEM initiatives,” Durfey said. “There just aren’t enough people entering these fields, so we ask ourselves—how do we encourage and support the next wave of talent?”

She also pointed out that these partnerships help make career possibilities real for students. “Companies have to show up for local universities and high schools so students can see what these paths actually lead to,” Durfey added.

Putnam shared that she feels proud to give something back to the place where it all started. “It was great to come back and make a difference,” she said. “Dr. Nezat was a big part of my experience, and I’m thrilled to support her students.” Putnam isn’t stopping there; she’s now serving on Eastern’s advisory board for the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Putnam’s advice to STEM students? “Embrace the challenge. There are so many hurdles in college, but those hurdles will set you up well for industries like ours.”

**Story written by Emilia Klewin.