Women in Auto Care Scholarship Program Achieves Record Year

BETHESDA, Md. – August 21, 2023 – Women in Auto Care, a community of the Auto Care Association, set a new record for its scholarship program, distributing 86 awards in both cash scholarships and starter toolkits, ($413,500 in value). The awards benefited female students across the U.S. who are interested in a career in the auto care industry. The incredible success of this year’s program was supported by the generosity of Women in Auto Care community sponsors and member donations.

Over the last year, Women in Auto Care:

• Continued its partnership with Garage Gurus to award five $7,000 cash scholarships totaling $35,000;
• Introduced its largest cash scholarship of $10,000 in partnership with Dorman;
• Awarded 20 toolkits valued at $9,000 each through its continued partnership with NAPA; and
• Partnered with Acuity to award an additional 10 toolkits valued at $4,250 each.

“Solving the challenges faced by our aftermarket technicians is paramount to the longevity of this industry,” said Cameron Richardson, senior vice president, consumer and digital, Genuine Parts Company. “The more we can remove these hurdles for prospective technicians, especially women, the better off we’ll be. We’re always proud to work alongside valued collaborators like Women in Auto Care to push the automotive aftermarket forward.”

“We know that the cost of toolkits can be a major barrier for students and new techs entering the field because of the cost associated with them,” said Chelsea Burris, Acuity. “We want to help remove that barrier, so that those individuals who have interest in pursuing a career in auto care have one less expense to worry about and can feel confident entering their education with a high-quality toolset.”

The Women in Auto Care scholarship program began in 2004 with just $2,000 and has continued to gain momentum each year. This marks the sixth year in a row that the program has reached its most successful year to date, with a more than 10% increase from the record set in 2022. The program surpassed a major milestone of more than $1 million dollars in scholarships and toolkits in 2022.  Additionally, Women in Auto Care became a Gold Lifetime Trustee for the University of the Aftermarket in 2023.

“It was another record year for our scholarship program, donating over $410,000,” said Jessica Toliuszis, chair, Women in Auto Care. “I am especially proud of our tool program which awarded 30 pallets of tools to aspiring female technicians. We are deeply grateful for the support from the entire extended community. Thanks to our sponsors, we are funneling the talent pipeline in the automotive aftermarket with diverse candidates.”

Women in Auto Care recipients of this year’s fall scholarships include:

Women in Auto Care/Dorman Scholarship

• Haley Cranwell — Hays, Kan.

Women in Auto Care/Garage Gurus Scholarships

• Erika Burton — Laramie, Wyo.
• Riley Schlick-Trask — Bradenton, Fla.
• Sarah Miller — Waxhaw, N.C.
• Chloe Limburg — Divide, Colo.
• Bailey Dymacek — Hastings, Minn.

Women in Auto Care/Acuity Tool Kit Awards

• Jillian Proell — Fairbanks, Alaska
• Mikayla Sisneros — Cedar Falls, Iowa
• Payton Holdorf — Hobart, Ind.
• Ashlyn Gard — Portland, Ore.
• Kenzie Prater — Anchorage, Alaska
• Hanna Riggs — Crittenden, Ky.
• Alexia Garcia — Conyers, Ga.
• Alyssa Paulson — Loveland, Colo.
• Adrianna Johnson — Pottstown, Pa.
• Hailee Neil — Lehi, Utah

Women in Auto Care/NAPA Tool Kit Awards

• Abigail Redman — Alma, Mich.
• Gabriela Escalante Valenzuela — Aurora, Colo.
• Caitlin Rith — Hagerstown, Md.
• Chelsea Ballard — Denver, Colo.
• Danica Warner — St Louis, Mo.
• Cheryl Perretti-Blaisdell — Fayetteville, N.C.
• Haydee Amador — Kent, Wash.
• Ariana Humphries — Beaverton, Mich.
• Karol Ruiz — Immokalee, Fla.
• Lauren Van Faussien — Norfolk, Va.
• Tomoko Yoshizumi — Garden Grove, Calif.
• Zoie Ross — Cincinnati, Ohio
• Reatha Culver — Cullison, Kan.
• Alyssa Aponte —Norwalk, Conn.
• Abril Cervantes — Los Angeles, Calif.
• Erica Smith — Bakersfield, Calif.
• Madisen Greisen — Norfolk, Neb.
• Alexandria Campbell — Chester Springs, Pa.
• Brielle Emerson — Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Sydnie Mailer-Kelly — Rosemount, Minn.

Women in Auto Care Scholarships

• Alivia Schneider — Blooming Prairie, Minn.
• Ruby Palacios Gonzalez — Richmond, Texas
• Keeley Whitmer — Cummings, Ga.
• Andrea Rojas — El Paso, Texas
• Scarlett McCurnin — Henrico, Va.
• Sunbal Khan — Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Kimberly Betty — Flint, Mich.
• Charity Titus — Kettle Falls, Wash.
• Cathryn Elkins — Yakima, Wash.
• Aleesha Howard — Atoka, Okl.
• Mariela Henderson — Kaysville, Utah
• Candace Tolley — Erwin, Tenn.
• ShaVonne Two Bears — Bismarck, N.D.
• Jessica Freeland — Glenside, Pa.
• Lillian Reichenberger — Romeoville, Ill.
• Delanee Ross — Perry, Mo.
• Magan Cruz-Wingo — Vallejo, Calif.
• Margaret Sager — Duluth, Minn.
• Madelyn Wisdom — Montgomery City, Mo.
• Emilie Baer-Reyes — Blairstown, N.J.
• Taylor Williams — New Brockton, Ala.
• Mia Marlow — Oakdale, Minn.
• Emily Jones — Cuero, Texas
• Cambria Spring — Ester, Alaska
• Lucy Skokna — Columbus, Texas
• Hailey Cantrell — Draper, Va.
• Megan Layton — Englewood, Colo.
• Yvana Perez Ponce — Salem, Ore.
• Julia Swanson — Lakeville, Minn.
• Taeler Coverdale — Houston, Texas
• Kendall Johnston — Simi Valley, Calif.
• Lucy Wensole — Eagar, Minn.
• Julissa Amezecua — Yakima, Wash.
• Savannah Deionno — Clayton, N.C.
• Arieonna Blount — Mankato, Minn.
• Makiah Stacy — Ames, Iowa
• Ali Curatolo — Newtown Square, Pa.
• Maggie Cox — Paulding, Ohio
• Cady Tipple — Lancaster, Ohio
• Adeline Hampson — Windsor, Calif.
• Alyssa Rozinka — Virginia, Minn.
• Mary Sarafaliyeng — Kingwood, Texas
• Emily Gittins — Arvada, Colo.
• Abigail Organ — Westland, Mich.
• Kiona Kupstas — San Luis Obispo, Calif.
• Leila Le — Richmond, Texas
• Madilyn Magno — Laurel, Md.
• Ericka George — Chandler, Ariz.
• Karina Rice — Willmar, Minn.
• Morgan Graber — Perrysburg, Ohio
  

For more information about Women in Auto Care scholarship opportunities, visit autocare.org/women-in-auto-care.