The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded $160,000 to 60 individuals this year, including 53 SEMA scholarships to current students and seven loan-forgiveness awards to employees of SEMA-member companies.
"This year’s pool of scholarship winners represents the diversity of interests and disciplines that the automotive industry attracts," said SEMA Board of Directors Chairman Wade Kawasaki. "SEMA is committed to offering support to the next generation of young men and women that will drive this industry for years to come."
More than $2.2 million has been awarded to over 1,300 deserving students since the program's establishment in 1984. The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund and the SEMA Loan Forgiveness Program are dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators by helping them get off to a successful start in their education and automotive aftermarket careers.
The online application for next year's awards will be accepted Nov. 1, 2017, through March 1, 2018, at www.sema.org/scholarships.
For questions or additional information, contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA Education Manager, at 909-978-6655 or email [email protected].
SEMA Scholarship Award Winners
Recipient (Institution Name, Major)
Jennifer Allen (University of Northwestern Ohio, Diesel Mechanics)
Albert Appouh (Teachers College-Columbia University, Applied Mathematics)
Thomas Arlotta (Marquette University, Mechanical Engineering)
Eduard Bertalan (Spokane Community College, Automotive Technology)
Sheldon Caldwell (Cypress College, Automotive Technology)
Samuel Carter (Ferris State University, Automotive Engineering)
Arthur Cartwright (Clemson University, Automotive Engineering)
Samuel Choi (Georgia Institute of Technology, Computer Engineering)
Savannah Class (Community College of Baltimore-Catonsville, Automotive Technology)
Houston Comer (Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
Sophia Dancel (Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
Justin Davis (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Automotive Engineering)
Nathan Day (Baker College of Owosso, Automotive Technology)
Luis de Casenave (University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, Mechanical Engineering)
Jacob Denny (Northcentral Technical College, Mechanical Engineering) *top student
Austin Dowler (McPherson College, Automotive Restoration)
Allison Elder (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Business Management)
Dalton Ellis (Aims Community College, Automotive Technology)
Almon Evans (University of Northwestern Ohio, Business Management)
Benjamin Falconer (McPherson College, Automotive Restoration)
Matt Fuka (University of North Dakota, Mechanical Engineering)
Scott George (Utah Valley University, Auto Body-Collision Repair)
Benjamin Hoertnagl-Pereira (John Hopkins University, Computer Engineering)
Shannon Holsten (Linn State Technical College, Auto Body-Collision Repair)
Daniel Hott (Tennessee Technological University, Mechanical Engineering)
Adam Lecznar (Kettering University, Industrial Engineering & Design)
Adeline Longstreth (Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
Gilberto Lopez (California State University-Los Angeles, Engineering Mechanics)
Stacy Mann (Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
Heather McCallay (Red Rocks Community College, Engineering)
Summer Miller (University of North Texas, Business Management)
Dudley Moore (University of Alabama, Mechanical Engineering)
Peter Nelson (Spokane Community College, Automotive Technology)
Hunter Pauloski (Minnesota State University-Mankato, Automotive Engineering)
Masey Peone (Washington State University, Communications)
Jeremy Peterson (University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Mechanical Engineering)
Brighid Rancour (Cleveland State University, Electrical Engineering)
Stephen Redlack (Clemson University, Automotive Engineering)
Asa Reini (Clemson University, Mechanical Engineering)
Chad Robbins (Saginaw Valley State University, Mechanical Engineering)
David Robles (Cypress College, Automotive Technician)
Joseph Rutledge Jr. (Wilkes University, Mechanical Engineering)
Kaylyn Sneathen (University of Missouri-Columbia, Information Technology)
Spencer Steele (Bradley University, Accountancy)
Nicole Stout (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Automotive Engineering)
Abraham Tazi (Hillsborough Community College, Engineering)
Taylor Toftemark (Lower Columbia College, General Studies)
Lorenzo Vilches Jr. (Cuyamaca College, Automotive Technology)
Brian Walker (University of Central Missouri, Mechanical Engineering)
Keaton Weingartz (Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
William White-Griggs (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
Chase Wilderman (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis,
Mechanical Engineering)
George Williamson (De Anza College, Automation Technology)
SEMA Loan Forgiveness Award Winners
Recipient (Employer, Institution Name, Major)
Eric Burnett (Holley Performance Products, Western Kentucky University, Marketing)
Collin Gentry (Meyer Distributing, University of Southern Indiana, Education)
Grant Lago (Magnaflow Exhaust Products, Arizona State University, Business)
Robert Martin (Motor State, University of Northwestern Ohio, Business Administration)
Angel Scharklet (Holley Performance Products, University of the Cumberlands, Business Administration)
David Schenker (Greenspeed Research, Boise State University, Mechanical Engineering)
Andrew Smallman (General Motors, Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
