The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASP-MN) announced it has distributed $1,000 scholarships to 16 automotive service and collision repair students to help cover tuition or purchase necessary tools for the 2024-25 academic year.
The scholarships are funded by the Minnesota State I-CAR Committee and proceeds from the AASP-MN's Annual Race for Automotive Education.
The selection process involved a panel of industry experts who reviewed 35 applications from students across 14 different schools. Criteria for the scholarship included scholastic achievement, financial need, educational and career ambitions, and recommendations from educators.
The recipients are:
- Lillian Baas, Riverland Community College, Albert Lea – automotive service technology
Jose Benitez-Lopez, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – auto body collision repair
Jonathan Bradt, Century College, White Bear Lake – automotive service technology
Zachary Burg, St. Cloud Technical & Community College, St. Cloud – automotive service technology
Brandon Canfield, MN State Community & Technical College, Moorhead – automotive service technology
Wyatt Dehne, Ridgewater College, Willmar – auto body collision repair
Sara Hernandez, Ridgewater College, Willmar – automotive service technology
Coleton Kiel, St. Cloud Technical & Community College, St. Cloud – auto body collision repair
Brendon Koenig, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – automotive service technology
Catherine McKinney, Minnesota North College, Hibbing – automotive service technology
Vanessa Nichols, Lake Superior College, Duluth – automotive service technology
Ash Rasche, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – automotive service technology
Jonathan Santana-Delgado, Century College, White Bear Lake – automotive service technology
Isabell Schmidt, South Central College, North Mankato – auto body collision repair
Jose Sosa-Martinez, Hennepin Technical College, Eden Prairie – auto body collision repair
Emma Wickstrom, Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park – automotive service technology
The scholarship awards are the centerpiece of AASP-MN’s Automotive Education Fund, established to provide financial resources to support automotive students, enhance automotive programs and raise awareness of career opportunities in the independent automotive service industry.
