News

2018 SEMA Memorial Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Award Winners Announced

By SEMA Editors

SEMA Scholarships
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 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded $297,000 to 102 individuals this year, including scholarships for current students and 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 $2.5 million has been awarded to more than 1,400 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.

Online applications for next year’s awards will be accepted November 1, 2018, through March 1, 2019, at www.sema.org/scholarships.

For questions or additional information, contact SEMA Student Programs Manager Juliet Marshall at 909-978-6655 or julietm@sema.org.

SEMA Scholarship Award Winners:
Recipient (Institution Name, Major)

  • Emily Acs (Kettering University, Industrial Engineering & Design)
  • Blake Adams (North Iowa Area Community College, Automotive Technology)
  • Gabriel Anderson (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
  • Trevor Andis (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
  • Elizabeth Avitia (School of Automotive Machinists, Applied Science-Automotive Machining)
  • Sarah Beardsley (Lake Superior State University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Julia Berger (McPherson College, Automotive Technology)
  • Taylor Bostick (Oklahoma State University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Alexandra Broom (Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Bradley Brown (University of North Dakota, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Arthur Cartwright (Clemson University, Automotive Technology)
  • Jakub Celinski (University of Iowa, Business Management)
  • Cole Cerull (University of Colorado at Boulder, Computer & Information Sciences)
  • John Clark (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
  • Ian Clark (University of Wyoming, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Rene Coddens (Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Nathaniel Colena (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Houston Comer (Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Christian Crow (University of Colorado at Boulder, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Jeremy Curley (University of Northwestern Ohio, Business Management)
  • Sophia Dancel (Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Justin Davis (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
  • Katherine Dooley (Northwood University, Automotive Aftermarket) *top student
  • Blake Dunkleberger (University of San Diego, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Adrianna Dunlap (University of Akron, Electrical Engineering)
  • Benjamin Falconer (McPherson College, Automotive Restoration/Communications)
  • Robert Fisher (University of North Florida, Marketing)
  • Candelaria Flores (California State University, Long Beach, Chemical Engineering)
  • Liron Fridman (University of Illinois at Chicago, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Paige Garbett (University of Colorado Denver, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Spencer Gerren (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
  • Alton Henry (University of North Georgia, Physics/Mechanical Engineering)
  • Andrew Hettinger (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
  • Kali Holt (The University of Tennessee, Business Management)
  • Nicholas Huey (University of Northwestern Ohio, Diesel Mechanics)
  • Almambet Iskakov (Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Andrew Jackson (York College of Pennsylvania, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Andrew Jefferson (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Engineering)
  • Alec Jobbins (University of California, Berkeley, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Brent Jones (Brigham Young University-Idaho, Automotive Technology Management)
  • Trevor Jones (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technician)
  • Allen King, II (Prairie View A&M University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Dillon Kovar (University of Oklahoma, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Kenton Kyger (Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Angela Lee (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Engineering)
  • Alexander Lehn (McPherson College, Automotive Restoration Technology)
  • Zachary Mans (Michigan Technological University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Derrick Martin, Jr. (San Diego State University, Business)
  • Andrew Masters (University of New Hampshire, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Richard Mauge (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Alejandro Mejia (The University of Texas at El Paso, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Bethany Moler (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
  • Dudley Moore (University of Alabama, Mechanical Engineering)
  • David Nary (University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Thomas Nelson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Brooklyn Noell-Baba (Clemson University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Dominic Norko (Northwood University, Automotive Aftermarket)
  • Hunter O'Gorman (SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica-Rome, Mechanical Engineering Technology)
  • Connor Osbourne (Purdue University, Electrical Engineering)
  • Jennifer Oseguera (Santa Barbara City College, Business)
  • Hunter Pauloski (Minnesota State University-Mankato, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
  • Aversa Prentosito (Miami University, Computer Science)
  • Andrew Rampersaud (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
  • Matthew Rippen (Northwest Kansas Technical College, Automotive Technician)
  • Christina Schneider (Mt. San Jacinto Community College, Automotive Technology)
  • Blake Serpa (Universal Technical Institute-Houston, Autobody Collision)
  • Daniel Shanebrook (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
  • Andrew Shaw (Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
  • Jordan Sloss (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
  • Josiah Smith (Milwaukee School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Kyle Sonnen (University of Northwestern Ohio, Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology)
  • Ethan Stockbridge (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Electrical Engineering)
  • Dakota Szalony (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
  • Robert Taylor (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology - High Performance)
  • Nicholas Tolan (University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Marketing)
  • Jesse Toombs (Pittsburg State University, Automotive Technology)
  • Dylan Turnbow (Brigham Young University-Idaho, Automotive Technology)
  • Maxwell Urquhart (Michigan Technological University, Electronics Engineering)
  • Nathan VanWagnen (Cleveland State University, Journalism)
  • Mark Vaszary (Pikes Peak Community College, Automotive Technology)
  • Austin Vawser (Idaho State University, Automation Technology)
  • Michael Wagner (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
  • Shane Walker (Brigham Young University-Idaho, Automotive Technology)
  • James Watson Jr. (Coast Pines Technical College, Autobody Collision)
  • Ethan Wayman (Palomar College, Welding)
  • Trevor Wells (Ferris State University, Automotive Engineering & Technology) *top student
  • Joshua Wilhelm (Kansas State University, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Aaron Wimmer (NASCAR Technical Institute, Automotive Technology)
  • Chad Workman (University of Arkansas, Electrical Engineering)

SEMA Loan Forgiveness Award Winners:
Recipient (Employer, Institution Name, Major)

  • Cynthia Bullion (Competition Cams, University of Mississippi, Journalism)
  • Nicholas D'Orazio (FOX Factory Inc, Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
  • Collin Gentry (Meyer Distributing, University of Southern Indiana, Education)
  • Christopher Harubin (University of Northwestern Ohio, University of Northwestern Ohio, Marketing)
  • Steven Kester (Summit Racing Equipment, University of Phoenix, Business)
  • Jennifer LaFever (Roush Yates Engines, NASCAR Technical Institute, Automotive Technician)
  • Reuben Latigo (Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
  • Kaylie Null (Truck Accessories Group, LLC, Indiana University-Bloomington, English)
  • Angel Scharklet (Holley Performance Products, University of the Cumberlands, Business Management)
  • Sarah Spoto (General Motors, University of Rochester, Marketing)
  • Justin Steller (Diode Dynamics, Lindenwood University, Business Management)
  • Kirstin Stone (Radians, Inc., University of Redlands, Business Administration)
  • Heather Wilson (Kahn Media, California Lutheran University, Graphic Design)