Applied Technology Center of Rock Hill, S.C., was selected from over 70 school applications to be the recipient of the 2011 Collision Repair Education Foundation’s (CREF) Ultimate Collision Education Makeover $50,000 school grant. The announcement took place Wednesday, Nov. 2 during the SEMA Show, where Applied Technology Center’s collision instructor Mark Dellinger was present for the announcement, but unaware that his school was the winning school.
In the school’s makeover application, Dellinger displayed a strong passion for his program’s success and need for new tools, equipment and supplies for his students. CREF says it will work together with industry supporters to help fulfill the college’s $50,000 wish list for their collision program, which will benefit not only current but also future collision student professionals.
The makeover grant honors a high-performing school that has been doing an outstanding job in educating students in collision repair but is in need of financial assistance to improve its program’s teaching materials and equipment. The winning school selects $50,000 in supplies, tools and equipment needed specifically for its collision program. In the makeover grant program’s first two years, CREF has awarded over $550,000 to 80-plus school programs through the generosity of industry supporters.
In the Applied Technology Center Makeover grant application, Dellinger said, “My goal is to have this shop stay ahead of the curve in order to provide my students the best opportunity possible to enter this industry and successfully remain in it. A career in this industry is not shameful or some sort of punishment. We are very much educated, hard-working, and prideful, as are employees in other industries. I am seeking creative ways to supplement the school funding for my program, enriching the opportunities for my students.”
More information:
Industry members interested in participating with the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s Makeover winning school and/or the other applicants should contact Associate Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at [email protected] or 847-463-5244.
Collision Repair Education Foundation
