Outstanding Caterpillar Program Graduate Zackary DeKryger Earns Scholarship, Degree and a Career
Zackary DeKryger grew up fixing things alongside his father and grandfather, learning not just how machinery worked but how to work hard. That foundation followed him to Owens Community College, where he enrolled in the Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician Program after learning about it at the Careerline Tech Center in Holland, Michigan.
DeKryger, who received the Caterpillar ThinkBIG scholarship to attend Owens, will graduate in May with his Associate of Science in Caterpillar Dealer Services Technician while being named the program’s outstanding graduate.
The two-year program, designed by Caterpillar and Owens, requires students to be sponsored by a Caterpillar dealership and prepares entry-level technicians for careers in dealership service.
The road wasn’t without difficulty. Losing his grandfather while in the program was a significant blow.
“Losing my grandfather was a very big obstacle that I had to overcome,” DeKryger said. “He was one of the reasons that I love fixing things, and he was the one that taught me to be such a hard worker.”
He also found support in his girlfriend, Sara Brown, whom he met during his time at Owens.
“When I was having doubts about how I was doing or feeling like it wasn’t worth it, she was the reason that I stayed the course and worked hard to finish it,” DeKryger said. “She is the only reason that I have the honor of earning this award.”
After graduation, DeKryger will continue working for MacAllister Machinery, working on Caterpillar equipment.
Learn More About the Caterpillar Dealer Service Technician Program
Published May 2026