The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, Minnesota (AASP-MN) announced that it will distribute a record-breaking $20,000 in scholarship awards to students enrolled in post-secondary mechanical and collision repair programs in the state. The AASP-MN Scholarship Committee selected 20 students who will receive a $1,000.00 scholarship award to support their continued studies in the automotive industry:
• Ivan M. Anfilofieff, Northland Community College, Thief River Falls – Automotive Service Technology
• Joshua Anthony Bublitz, Ridgewater College, Willmar – Automotive Service Technology
• Jason Cullen, Century College, White Bear Lake – Automotive Service Technology
• Kyle Steven DeCoux, Riverland Community College, Albert Lea – Automotive Service Technology
• Jason David Dombeck, Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park – Automotive Service Technology
• Jesus (Jesse) Garcia, Ridgewater College, Willmar – Automotive Service Technology
• Bruce Freeman, Anoka Technical Institute, Anoka – Automotive Service Technology
• Robert W. Hinton, Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park – Auto Body Collision Repair
• Nicholas P. Hoeben, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – Automotive Service Technology
• Cher Lor, Century College, White Bear Lake – Automotive Service Technology
• Derek R. Meehl, St. Cloud Technical College, St. Cloud – Auto Body Collision Repair
• John Mejia, South Central College, Mankato – Automotive Service Technology
• Polycarp Onserio Metobo, Century College, White Bear Lake – Automotive Service Technology
• Devin J. Spears, Northland Community & Technical College, Thief River Falls – Automotive Service Technology
• Ryan Stenzel, Ridgewater College, Willmar – Automotive Service Technology
• Travis Stoerzinger, MN State College, Southeast Technical, Winona – Auto Body Collision Repair
• Eric James Taufen, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Auto Body Collision Repair
• Joseph B. Watson, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – Auto Body Collision Repair
• Garth Wilson, Hibbing Community College, Hibbing – Automotive Service Technology
• Chase Wallace Tallman Wynia, Riverland Community College, Austin – Auto Body Collision Repair
Forty-two students from 16 schools applied for the scholarships. Scholarships were available to students entering the second year of a NATEF-certified automotive program. Applications were reviewed by a committee of industry representatives, with consideration given to scholastic achievement, education and career goals, financial need and written recommendations.
The scholarship awards are the centerpiece of AASP-MN’s Automotive Education Fund, which was established to provide financial resources to support automotive students, enhance automotive programs and raise awareness of career opportunities in the independent automotive service industry. To date, over $112,000 has been invested in automotive students and programs throughout the state.
