The Willard House & Clock Museum and the family of former museum conservator David G. Gow have announced Adrian Kison of Las Cruces, N.M., as the recipient of the 2025 David G. Gow Memorial Scholarship for Horology.

The annual $5,000 scholarship supports students and early-career professionals pursuing clockmaking and clock conservation, a highly specialized trade with a limited number of practitioners nationwide.

Kison was selected from a competitive pool of applicants representing the next generation of professional clockmakers. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from New Mexico State University in 2017 and turned his focus to horology shortly thereafter. In 2018, he opened his own clock repair and restoration shop.

“Every customer has a story that’s just as rich as the clocks they own,” Kison said. “I also like seeing the traces of other clockmakers who’ve worked on a piece before me.”

Callum Gow, a member of the scholarship review board, said Kison’s technical background and hands-on experience made him a strong candidate.

“His expertise, eagerness to learn and shop experience made him an ideal choice,” Gow said.

Museum Executive Director Robert C. Cheney said the scholarship addresses a growing need in the field.

“The professional career path for museum-level clock conservation is not well defined, and those entering the trade often face significant financial hurdles,” Cheney said. “With only a few thousand conservators and clockmakers in the United States, demand far outstrips supply.”

The scholarship was established by the Gow family in collaboration with the Willard House & Clock Museum to honor David Gow’s legacy as a conservator, mentor and advocate for excellence in horology.

Any U.S.-based student who has begun formal training in clockmaking or conservation is eligible to apply. Applications for the 2026 scholarship are due Nov. 6, 2026, and the recipient will be announced Dec. 15, 2026.

The Willard House & Clock Museum, located at 11 Willard St. in North Grafton, houses more than 90 Willard clocks in the original birthplace and workshop of the Willard family. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information, visit willardhouse.org.