Meet The 2026 Scholarship Winners
I am Colby Drabik, KC1THX from Portland, Maine. I would like to thank you for your consideration, contribution, and award. I am currently in my senior year at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where I study Government & Legal Studies and Earth & Oceanographic Science with a minor in German. I have found multiple passions during my time at Bowdoin, developing interests in philosophy, cartography, and German language and culture, and this experience has been an invaluable learning experience for me as a person and a student. With three very different areas of study, I am able to truly work within three different and complex modes of reasoning and inquiry. The connections that I come across between these disciplines only enriches each of them more.
Further, these experiences have both influenced and been influenced by my love of amateur radio. As a fourth-generation ham, there is a strong familial connection to this hobby, and it is one that inspired me to obtain my licenses. I originally obtained my technician license, got hooked, and then went for my General and Extra in one sitting. Since then, I have been able to enjoy HF, with its promise of international connection and complexities, with the additional constraint of living in a college dorm. This has only taught me to be more resourceful and creative. Additionally, the skills I have learned from being a ham have been applied in my academic career as I have built antennas to receive and decode the information stream from the weather satellites I learned about in Satellite Remote Sensing of the Earth. This overlap and influence have been a key backing of my undergraduate years and will only keep propelling me as I venture into what comes next.
I would like to thank you for your gift and your award. It will help me immensely as I prepare to enter my final year with some of the weight lifted off my shoulders. 73!
My name is Teagan Kulbeth, KF0UTR from Montrose, Colorado and I would like to thank you for the opportunity to receive the $3,000 10-10 International Scholarship. I am deeply honored by your generosity and support as I move forward with my educational pursuits.
I have been accepted to Brigham Young University upon returning from my two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Layton, Utah. I plan to study aerospace engineering and pursue my Master’s degree in this field. Sometimes people ask if I want to go to space, but my goal is to help design and build the equipment that safely gets others to the stars.
My Amateur Radio journey started when Dave Casler, KE0OG, employed me to assist him in running his popular Amateur Radio You Tube channel. I already had an interest in Amateur Radio from watching my dad participate in a Field Day event years ago and learning more while I worked was an excellent opportunity. I passed my Technician test in July of 2025 and have made several contacts working local repeaters on VHF and UHF, as well as more distant contacts using Echolink. Becoming an Amateur Radio operator has allowed me to greatly improve my communication skills, an asset that is incredibly important as I prepare to serve my mission.
I have a small 3D printing business as well. See Kulbeth3dservices.com or @kulbeth3d on Makerworld to see my projects!
Thank you again for your generosity and investment in my future. I look forward to continuing to grow as an engineer, student, disciple of Christ, and Amateur Radio operator. I am excited to participate in radio events at BYU and continue to grow my experience and skills throughout my life.
My name is William Maher KZ4UH from Pooler, Georgia. I would like to express my gratitude for being awarded a scholarship from the 10-10 International Scholarship Foundation. I would have never thought that a hobby I started as a child would have grown into a passion of mine that would also help fund my college education. I am excited to return to Georgia Tech to start my second year and will continue to work part time at the Georgia Tech Research Institute where I get to work with microelectronics. On campus I will continue my involvement with the amateur radio club, where we focus on helping educate others about the hobby. When I am not studying or on the air, I am also a member of the Georgia Tech Marching Band.
Amateur Radio has become much more than a hobby for me. It has strengthened my problem-solving skills, taught me to communicate effectively in challenging situations, and helped lead me toward a career in engineering. I am majoring in both electrical and mechanical engineering. This summer I have had the opportunity to practice some of what I am learning in the classroom by interning at Crane Aerospace.
Amateur Radio has played a role in both my personal and academic life. I first became interested in it through my dad, participating in fox hunts, Field Days, and community events. I also served as a Scout Radio Operator at summer camps, where I gained firsthand experience with the practical and social aspects of radio communication, including emergency coordination, problem-solving, and teamwork. Amateur radio is an excellent way to be part of a community, learn about electronics, and help with communication at events.
As my interest grew, I began exploring Morse code and participating in Parks On The Air activations. I also led Scout demonstration sessions “Introduction to Amateur Radio,” where I helped younger Scouts understand how radios work and encouraged their interest in STEM. In college, I was excited to find a community of fellow “hams” throughthe Georgia Tech Amateur Radio Club, where we work to encourage students to pursue licensure and explore amateur radio.
Thank you once again for your generosity!
