SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund Announces Awards

	Top Female Award recipient, Laurel Dasher, of SEMA-member company Powerteq (Superchips/Edge).

Dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators, the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded a total of $130,000 to 69 scholarship recipients for 2012, and $15,000 was awarded to 15 loan-forgiveness recipients. Over the life of the fund, $1.5 million has gone to 1,000 deserving students since it was started in 1984.

Scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $2,000, with $4,000 going to the top student. Assistance is available for career paths in the automotive industry in accounting, engineering, race-car driver/crew, administration, information technology, sales/marketing, advertising, manufacturing, technicians, design/graphics, photo/journalism and transportation. A full-tuition scholarship, valued at up to $29,400, is awarded to one student attending Ohio Technical College (OTC).

The SEMA Loan Forgiveness Program is dedicated to aiding recent graduates in getting off to a successful start in their automotive aftermarket careers. The fund offers $1,000 awards toward outstanding student loans for individuals who are employed by SEMA-member companies.

To be eligible for an award, an applicant must be a U.S. citizen enrolled in a full-time program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program in the United States and have a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average. If currently attending a four-year university or college, the applicant must have completed a minimum of 50 college credits. If currently attending a two-year community college or vocational/technical program, the applicant must have completed a minimum of 25 college credits, or the equivalent in classroom hours.

The applicant must be pursuing studies leading to a career in the automotive aftermarket or related field and must remain enrolled as a full-time student for the first full semester, quarter or term following receipt of the award. Students may reapply each year as long as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria. The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment required for course load. A student may transfer from one institution to another and retain the award.

The online application for next year’s awards will be available December 3, 2012, through April 5, 2013.

For questions or additional information, please contact SEMA Education Administrator Juliet Marshall by phone at  909-978-6655 or via e-mail at julietm@SEMA.org.

To assure complete impartiality in the selection of winners and to maintain a high level of professionalism, all applications are reviewed by a panel of five independent judges. Additionally, International Scholarship & Tuition Services Inc.—a firm that specializes in managing sponsored scholarship programs—administers the program.

For additional information regarding the scholarship program, contact International Scholarship & Tuition Services Inc. at 855-670-ISTS or via e-mail at contact.us@applyists.com 
with "SEMA" in the subject line.

SEMA and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund are pleased to present this year’s scholarship and loan forgiveness awards to the following students and member-company employees:

2012 Award Winners

Scholarship                           

Loan Forgiveness