RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – Standard Motor Products Inc. of Long Island City, NY, has pledged $25,000 to fund five $1,000 GAAS scholarships each year for the next five years for students planning careers as automotive technicians. These will be named the Standard Motor Products Scholarships.
“We are pleased to support the GAAS scholarship fund with these awards,” said Larry Sills, chairman of the board, Standard Motor Products. “It is truly an investment in our future and the industry’s future.”
“Standard Motor Product’s generous donation will allow us to offer awards to more students in the coming years,” said Pete Kornafel, chairman of the GAAS scholarship committee.
“The support of industry partners such as Standard Motor Products is vital to the continuation of the GAAS scholarship fund’s goal of bringing new talent into the automotive aftermarket.”
GAAS scholarship funding comes from the annual Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) and industry contributions from individuals, companies and foundations. Contributions can be made to the GAAS Scholarship Fund, c/o Susan Medick at AAIA, at 301-654-6664, or [email protected].
In 2009, a total of 75 students – 68 in the United States and seven in Canada – were awarded scholarships by the GAAS scholarship fund and its contributors. Another 41 awards were made by other groups collaborating with GAAS.
Ten students received multiple awards. Individual scholarships ranged from $250 to $2,000. A second round of donations in July was made possible by donations of more than $10,000 at GAAS 2009. In its 14-year history, the fund has presented more than $1.4 million in awards to approximately 1,400 students.
Applications are now being accepted online for the 2010 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) scholarship, awarded to students planning automotive aftermarket careers. The electronic application is available at www.automotivescholarships.com. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 31, 2010.
About the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium
The annual two-day Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium brings together industry leaders and experts to examine the issues and trends affecting the automotive aftermarket and influencing its future. The 2010 event is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, May 18-19, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago, Ill. Details are at www.globalsymposium.org.
About the GAAS Scholarship Program
The GAAS program is a joint professional education effort of the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA), Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, Automotive Parts Rebuilders Association (APRA), Automotive Service Association (ASA), Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), Motorist Assurance Program (MAP), Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), Tire Industry Association (TIA) and University of the Aftermarket.