RALEIGH, N.C. – Thanks to the generosity of the American Trucking Associations’ Technology and Maintenance Council, 17 students from across the country have received scholarships to pursue careers as commercial vehicle technicians or engineers, bringing them one step closer to fulfilling their dreams.
“Finding innovative solutions to our industry’s ongoing technician shortage is a priority for TMC, and the Council is pleased to be able to partner with WyoTech, Western Technical College, Lincoln Tech, University of Northwest Ohio, Universal Technical Institute and SAE to bring these scholarship opportunities to fruition,” said Robert Braswell, TMC executive director “These initiatives provide greater choice for deserving scholarship-seeking students looking to prepare for a career as a commercial vehicle technician.”
According to an ATA media release, the scholarships are managed by the council’s Technician & Educator Committee in partnership with several technical schools, industry vendors and allied organizations.
TMC/Lincoln Tech/NADC Diesel Truck Technician Scholarship winners will receive half the tuition for a 1,200- to 1,560-hour training program at one of six Lincoln Technical Institute/Lincoln College of Technology schools across the country. Winners include:
- Aaron Lanter of Richmond, Ky.
- Thomas McNamara of West Springfield, Mass.
- Asher Dunn of Lancaster, Ky.
- Tucker Brown of Barbourville, Ky.
Shaliah Mae Kohlenberg of DuBois, Pennsylvania, was named the 2024 TMC/University of Northwest Ohio Scholar, which consists of an award for tuition in the amount of up to $20,000.
Winners of the TMC/WyoTech Diesel Truck Technician Scholarship, which consists of a partial scholarship of up to $5,000 each include:
- Wesley Bihn of Portland, Ind.
- Eric Culley of John Day, Ore.
- William Gallacher of Carrizozo, N.M.
- Jayden Walker of Milton-Freewater, Ore.
Winners of a half-scholarship for UTI’s diesel technology program or the combined automotive/diesel technology program include:
- Maggie Bockenstedt of Farley, Iowa.
- Cooper Hambright of New Cumberland, Penn.
- Juan Carlos Palacios of The Bronx, N.Y.
- Bryan Perpuli-Ochoa of Las Cruces, N.M.
Raul Vega Jr. of Tornillo, Texas, was awarded the 2024 TEC/Western Tech Scholarship, covering 50% of the tuition to pursue a degree in diesel mechanics and diesel technology at Western Tech.
Winners of the TMC/SAE Donald D. Dawson Technical Scholarship, consisting of three $1,500 scholarships, which can be renewed for three years and used for tuition or any other incidental school expenses while pursuing an undergraduate degree in automotive engineering include:
- Zachary Been of Bakersfield, Calif.
- Bryan Edgar of Huntsville, Ala.
- Josh Cassell of Worcester, Mass.
A complete list of scholarship rules is featured on the application and can be found on TMC’s website. Completed scholarship application packages for 2025 must be received by the TMC office by April 15, 2025 and winners will be notified by May 15, 2025.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
