Donavan - Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
October is Manufacturing Month, and we'd like you to meet a Metallica Scholar making their way into a rewarding career in the field. Donavan Prescott is in the Precision Manufacturing and Machining program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and he wanted to share his experience.
My experience in the precision manufacturing program allowed me to build new skills and refine existing ones while working closely with fellow students as we set and achieved goals on our scholarship project. I had just started as a machinist at a maritime defense contractor when I got the opportunity to join the program. Like any educational journey, it came with ups and downs—some days felt easy, but getting too comfortable could lead to mistakes. Still, it offered plenty of chances to grow and even explore side projects.
Donavan plans to continue his apprenticeship at his current job, stay in this line of work, and focus on seeing where this career takes him.
I’m most proud of the progress I’ve made—my speed and accuracy have improved significantly since starting the program. The financial support from the scholarship, especially the savings on tools, gave me the stability to work toward getting out of debt and onto firmer financial ground.
Many people overlook the kind of work we do, so receiving this scholarship was truly unexpected. The support we’ve received—and the memories we’ve made with Metallica’s help—will never be forgotten or taken for granted. On behalf of myself and my family, thank you.
