The Women’s Industry Network announced that it will be holding its annual Scholarship Walk at its 2024 WIN Annual Conference on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. PST in Newport Beach, Calif.
The annual fundraiser supports WIN scholarships that are presented annually to deserving students enrolled in post-secondary collision repair technology programs. This year, WIN expanded its signature scholarship program, continuing its tradition of financially supporting females who demonstrate a desire to excel in the field of collision repair. Scholarship recipients receive needed funds and customized tool kits to help them in their continuing collision repair education.
“It is important to raise money so we are able to continually increase both scholarship dollars and tool kit supplies amounts,” said Laura Kottschade, co-chair of WIN Student Relations. “Because of the excellent fundraiser last year, we were able to provide five additional tools to each tool kit, and next year we’re hoping to add more scholarships. We’re also hoping for a few additional tier levels planned out, which will expand our scholarship reach once again. In fact, with additional fundraising, we’re planning one to include a new ‘scholarship’ specifically for techs already in the industry. All these monies raised increase industry retention rates because once students are out of school, they can utilize their new knowledge and tools and immediately seek full-time employment.”
Added WIN Scholarship Fundraising Co-Chairs April Keim and Christina Sepulveda, “This year, we have separated the Scholarship Walk and the Scholarship Fundraiser to simplify it for participant involvement. This will allow those who simply want to network and join in the Scholarship Walk to be able to while contributing to the scholarship fund with their entry fee. Additionally, we partnered with RallyUp and created the WIN Warriors Scholarship Fundraising that is free to join and will allow those inspired to raising money for the future women technicians of collision to do so as a team or solo and have some added fun with a team competition.”
The fundraising walk is part of a full slate of in-depth professional collision repair industry programming, inspiring keynote speakers, and networking and mentoring opportunities set for the WIN Annual Conference, which this year is themed, “Dream Out Loud.”
Participation in the Scholarship Walk is not limited to in-person conference attendees. Virtual attendees or non-attending friends, family, colleagues and more are invited to support this program by organizing their own community walk or gifting their registration fee — no walking required.
For more information or to participate in the Scholarship Walk, click here.
Applications for 2024 WIN scholarships, held in conjunction this year with the Collision Repair Education Foundation, are still open until March 8. For more information about the scholarship program, click here. To apply for a 2024 scholarship, click here.
For more information on WIN, visit womensindustrynetwork.com.
