Penn College Automotive Students Awarded $2,000 Scholarships

Two automotive technology management students at Pennsylvania College of Technology have been chosen from among 410 applicants nationwide for $2,000 scholarships from the Specialty Equipment Market Association.

Christopher S. Secor, of Sayre, recently received a Lou Borick Award scholarship, and Jason K. Beall, of York who is completing his degree work via the distance-learning option was selected for a Joe Amato Award scholarship. Secor also received a 2005 memorial scholarship from the association, which represents more than 6,800 member companies in the $34 billion specialty automotive-parts trade.

"SEMA has been fueling the future of the... industry for more than 20 years now and we are very proud of our awards, as well as these students who have received them," said Mike Spagnola, scholarship committee chairman and president of Street Scene Equipment in Costa Mesa, Calif. Established in 1984, the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund has supplied more than $800,000 in scholarship awards over the past two decades. Students from 31 states benefited this year, with academic course work ranging from Interior Sustainable Design to Automotive Diesel Technology.

According to SEMA, the program rewards only the "best and brightest students" engaged in studies leading to a career in the automotive specialty equipment industry or a related field. Sophomores in two-year universities or colleges and students in vocational or technical schools received $1,000 awards; graduates and undergraduates with at least junior-class standing at a four-year school received $2,000 to $3,000.

All recipients must have a minimum 2.5 grade-point average and be enrolled in an accredited university, college or proprietary program. The automotive technology management major at Penn College is among a handful of such four-year programs in the country and one of only three accredited by the National Association of Industrial Technology.

The college's four-year automotive management technology major prepares students for career opportunities in corporate customer relations and technical support; automotive teaching positions; entry into graduate programs in education, training and management; dealership service- and parts-department management; private business ownership within the transportation repair and service industry; service and parts sales; and garage or fleet-management positions.

For more information about academic majors in Penn College's School of Transportation Technology, call (570) 320-4516, send e-mail or visit online .