Intern Spotlight: Anthony Stimson Awarded David Blaine Scholarship Through NADCA

5 MARCH 2026 | VANCOUVER, WA. — Anthony Stimson, 22, grew up in Vancouver, WA and by high school had become interested in architecture and engineering. He's spent the last couple of years pursuing an engineering degree at Washington State University-Vancouver, where in-state tuition continues to climb. Last spring, he was chatting with a neighbor who works at PacDie and encouraged Anthony to connect.

"He gave me their phone number and introduced us," he says in the voice of a young, eager engineer with a graduation date of May 2026. He got on the line with PacDie CEO Elizabeth Gubrud, "shared my qualifications and she took me on."

It would be the first time he'd work in "that kind of environment. Most of my experience is in school," he says and describes having to adjust to the fast pace. "It was just a lot of learning how things work and understanding my place in that ecosystem."

PacDie's head engineer enlisted Anthony to test a manifold that was being developed for one of the company's key customers. "I designed the process to plug the manifold, submerge it, and observe for any leaks." He presented the process design to PacDie engineers and took their feedback to finish the design.

“What really stood out quickly was Anthony’s attention to detail and willingness to validate assumptions- traits that are essential in mechanical engineering and rare to see so early in career” - Khiem Hoang

Anthony was also responsible for troubleshooting issues and operating a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) that "takes measurements and compares them against drawings." His performance stood out, says Khiem Hoang, Chief Engineering Officer for PacDie.

“From the onset, Anthony approached his work with the rigor and curiosity of a practicing engineer. His ability to translate theory into practical, well-reasoned solutions added value at PacDie within one summer. What really stood out quickly was Anthony’s attention to detail and willingness to validate assumptions- traits that are essential in mechanical engineering and rare to see so early in career” says Chief Operating Officer Khiem Hoang.

"They'd find a problem and they'd ask me to solve it," Anthony remarks, and adds that he thrived on doing independent research and solving problems. "What appealed to me is that there was a new challenge every day."

The internship culminated in a visit to Renton, WA with Elizabeth and a Marketing Intern at PacDie to connect with engineers at a commercial automotive manufacturer PacDie supplies. He presented to a group and brought a design flaw to the customer's attention. "We brought that up to the engineers, and they fixed it," he says proudly.

"The award was $3,000. That's half my tuition so it helped a lot." - Anthony Stimson

During his last days at PacDie, Elizabeth, the CEO, encouraged Anthony to apply for a scholarship through the North American Die Casting Association. "I got the scholarship," Anthony shares.

The David Blaine Intern and Scholarship Program is a tribute to Blaine, who was instrumental in advancing the diecasting industry, and is awarded to students who have worked in the diecasting industry.

"The award was $3,000," says Anthony. "That's half my tuition so it helped a lot."

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Phone: 360-695-6897 Email: Sales@Pacdie.com