By Ashley Reyes
 The 2019 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund recipients. |
The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded $307,000 to 106 individuals this year, including scholarships for current students and loan-forgiveness awards to employees of SEMA-member companies.
“We’re excited to award this passionate group of individuals with our support as they embark on finding new ways to advance the future of the specialty-equipment aftermarket,” said SEMA Board of Director Chairman Tim Martin. “This year’s winners represent the diversity and young talent that our industry thrives on, and we look forward to how their contributions will drive us forward for years to come."
More than $3 million has been awarded to more than 1,600 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 Nov. 1, 2020, through March 1, 2021, at www.sema.org/scholarships.
For questions or additional information, contact SEMA’s Youth Engagement Manager Katie Hurst at 909-978-6693 or katieh@sema.org.
SEMA Scholarship Award Winners
Recipient (Institution Name, Major)
- Jordan Aguana (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Mechanical Engineering)
- Trevor Andis (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Mechanical Engineering)
- Mary Elizabeth Bannister (Auburn University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Zachary Barton (Auburn University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Jacob Beshara (Bethel College, Business Management)
- Alec Bianco (Colorado School of Mines, Mechanical Engineering)
- Martin Blair (Arizona State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Camden Boshart (California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Mechanical Engineering)
- Rebecca Brunner (Central Maine Community College, Automotive Technician)
- Omar Carrizales-Suarez (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Mechanical Engineering)
- Takeshia Carter (Kennedy-King College, Autobody Collision)
- Olivia Celinski (DePaul University, Finance)
- Nicholas Chan (Las Positas College, Automotive Technology)
- Dallin Clawson (Brigham Young University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Cameron Cocalis (Colorado School of Mines, Mechanical Engineering)
- Elijah Collins (Valparaiso University, Mechanical Engineering)
- John Corder (Oregon Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology)
- Kevin Dennis (Rochester Institute of Technology, Civil Engineering)
- David Dixon Jr. (Wesleyan University, Economics)
- Bonifacio Duller III (College for Creative Studies, Automotive Technology)
- Chad Eisele (Clemson University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Colton Elfstrom (Gonzaga University, Computer Engineering)
- Isabelle Erickson (Iowa State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Emily Fuchsen (Lincoln College of Technology, Autobody Collision)
- Benjamin Glaus (Minnesota State University-Mankato, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
- April Graham (Utah Valley University, Autobody Collision)
- Samuel Griffith (Northwood University, Automotive Marketing & Management)
- Christian Gutierrez (Florida International University, Construction)
- Michael Hand (Pennsylvania State University, Electrical Engineering)
- John Hartman (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
- Thomas Havemann (Clemson University, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
- Alix Helton (Colorado State University, Engineering)
- Ryan Hinchberger (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
- Mark Jaszkowiak (University of Idaho, Mechanical Engineering)
- Isaac Johnson (University of Indianapolis, Mechanical Engineering)
- Robert Johnson, Jr. (Highland Community College, Automotive Maintenance)
- Zachary Jones (Clemson University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Christopher Kay (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
- Jered Kennedy (Colorado School of Mines, Mechanical Engineering)
- Henry Kingwill III (College of Lake County, Autobody Collision)
- Tyler Kraft (University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering)
- Matt Lambert (Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Automotive Technology)
- James Larmour (Nashville Auto Diesel College, Diesel/Heavy Equipment Technician)
- Joshua Larson (Minnesota State University-Mankato, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
- Nicholas Lent (Monroe Community College, Information Technology & Computing)
- Francesco LoGiudice Jr. (Farmingdale State College, Automotive Technology)
- Scotty Lucas (University of the Pacific, Mechanical Engineering)
- Morgan Malencia (Ohio State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Samuel Maner (The University of Alabama, Mechanical Engineering)
- Brandan Marhefka (Pennsylvania College of Technology, Welding)
- Spencer Marler (Brigham Young University-Idaho, Business Management)
- Omar Martinez (Stanford University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Sydney McQueary (The University of Tennessee, Mechanical Engineering)
- Leticia Mercado (University of New Mexico, Mechanical Engineering)
- Caleb Messer (Mississippi State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Evan Mihalko (Gannon University, Mechanical Engineering)
- John Milbrandt (University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering)
- Sloane Miller (North Carolina A&T State University, Computer Programming)
- Lauren Mims (Clemson University, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
- Dudley Moore (The University of Alabama, Mechanical Engineering)
- Nicholas Nicholson (University of Northwestern Ohio, High Performance Automotive)
- Christian Nisperos (University of California-Berkeley, Mechanical Engineering)
- Shane Olson (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Computer Engineering)
- Ryan Ott (Kennesaw State University, Marketing)
- Austin Owen (Western Michigan University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Sebastian Pereira (Harvard University, Computer Programming)
- Kenny Phan (Clemson University, Electrical Engineering)
- Anthony Plummer (Pennsylvania College of Technology, Automotive Technology)
- John Rafferty (North Dakota State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Nathan Ragsdale (Montana State University, Mechanical Engineering Technology)
- Emma Ricketts (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
- Sean Robinson (McPherson College, Automotive Technology)
- Brady Robling (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
- Raquel Rodriguez (Southwest Career Institute, Automotive Technology)
- Corbin Russ (University of Arkansas, Mechanical Engineering)
- Shay Saarie (Dakota Wesleyan University, Business Management)
- David Scagliotta (Pennsylvania College of Technology, Automotive Technology)
- John Shanahan (Western Technical College, Automotive Technology)
- Parker Simpson (Rhode Island School of Design, Fine Arts)
- Michael Stamboulian (Villanova University, Business Management)
- Ashley Stamboulian (Villanova University, Business Management)
- William Sullivan (Pennsylvania College of Technology, Automotive Technology)
- Ethan Tai (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Information Technology & Sciences)
- Matthew Trees (Texas A&M University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Michael Ustes (University of Michigan-Dearborn, Mechanical Engineering)
- Jacqueline van Zyl (Georgia Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering – Top Student Award)
- Luke Voldahl (Eastern Michigan University, Information Technology)
- Vance Weber (Kansas State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- William Welch (University of California-Los Angeles, Mechanical Engineering)
- Joshua Wilhelm (Kansas State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Kinzie Wilson (Belmont Abbey College, Business Management)
- Christopher Wong (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Electrical Engineering)
- Madison Wong (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Computer Engineering)
SEMA Loan Forgiveness Award Winners
Recipient (Employer, Institution Name, Major)
- Sophia Dancel (Ford Motor Company, Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Kyle Ebner (Ford Motor Company, University of Detroit Mercy, Product Development)
- Eric Harding (Pratt & Miller Engineering, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Mechanical Engineering)
- Weston Kulman (Pratt & Miller Engineering, Northwestern University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Jay McFarland (Holley Performance Products, Mid-Continent University, Business Management)
- Mark Mollica (ThyssenKrupp Bilstein of America, University of San Diego, Mechanical Engineering)
- Joel Negrete (Cummins, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
- Hunter Pauloski (Competition Cams, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
- Christopher Pearson (Directed, University of Southern California, Business Management)
- Nicholas Soave (Race Winning Brands, Kennesaw State University, Mechanical Engineering)
- Janelle Storey (Automotive Lift Institute, SUNY College at Cortland, Graphic Design/Art)
- James Stray (SAM Tech, SAM Tech, Automotive Technology)
- Jamison Wilcox (COMP Performance Group, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Automotive Engineering & Technology)