(Houston, Texas) – This past year, the Nolan Moore Memorial Education Foundation (NMMEF) voted to establish an endowment at the University of Houston (UH) College of Technology supporting the Digital Media program. The NMMEF is the foundation of the Printing & Imaging Association MidAmerica (PIA MidAmerica) that supports secondary and post-secondary institutions that have print technology and graphics programs. PIA MidAmerica is one of the largest regional affiliates of Printing Industries of America that strives to make the print industry more efficient in its operations by providing resources that support the print industry.
PIA MidAmerica helps nearly 500 print, visual communications, and marketing firms in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Western Missouri. Through the NMMEF, PIA MidAmerica has provided over $300,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers in printing technology and management in each of these states. The NMMEF was founded in 1995 in memory of Nolan Moore who actively supported industry workforce development and print industry education. The NMMEF has carried on Moore’s legacy of producing media presentations that are used for recruiting and career awareness. The foundation continues to distribute career awareness material, training programs, and educational resources to individuals, organizations, and institutions that share their vision for the future of the print industry.
“The trustees of the foundation are proud to support the University of Houston’s College of Technology Digital Media program. It is our goal to drive awareness of print and packaging careers through education and training. With technology advancing industry growth, we value the opportunity to inspire students with new and exciting print innovations that are taking communication to the next level,” said Teresa Campbell, president of PIA MidAmerica
Commenting on the benefit of this endowment to the university and the NMMEF, Dr. Jerry Waite, the coordinator of the UH Digital Media program, said, “The foundation was created in Nolan Moore’s honor to encourage people to pursue careers in the printing and publishing industry. Moore was not only a recognized historian of great impact, but he was also president of the Printing Industries of America in Texas for 23 years.”
“This scholarship will help the foundation achieve its goals of increasing accessibility of its resources to students, increasing the number of students who seek to specialize in print, publishing, and packaging, and increase the number of employees available to the industry,” Waite added.