The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) announced a record 20 new recipients received its 2023 WIN College Student Tuition and Conference Scholarship Awards.

These scholarships are presented annually to deserving students enrolled in a post-secondary collision repair technology program. This year WIN says it expanded its signature scholarship program continuing its tradition of financially supporting females who demonstrate a desire to excel in the field of collision repair.

The expansion was designed to attract more students and increase the number of awards, starting with doubling the award rate this year and enabling a variety of students to grow in their collision repair career journey, WIN says. As part of the application process, each WIN Scholarship applicant registered for, and received, a complimentary WIN Student Membership. WIN also supports collision repair instructors with access to free WIN memberships through the Pay It Forward campaign.

“The expanded program offers the College Student Tuition and Conference Scholarship Awards on two financial levels, CHAMPION and STARS. Recipients are awarded a scholarship ranging from $500 up to $2,500 based on the selection team’s evaluation of their application and the interview process,” says Laura Kottschade, 2022-’23 co-chair of the Scholarship Committee. “All recipients received tool kits valued at over $500, WIN items and complimentary registration for attendance to the virtual format of the annual WIN Educational Conference to be held in San Antonio, Texas, May 1-3, 2023.”

“We understand the need to attract talent to our industry and are firm believers that supporting students throughout their schooling will make a difference,” said Holly Whitley, 2022-’23 Scholarship Committee co-chair. “The new tiered criteria for the 2022-23 program has engaged students across a wider spectrum of experience.” 

WIN 2023 Scholarship Award Winners

CHAMPION Recipient, Hometown, Institution Name:

·       Kaygen Bogle, Convoy, Ohio (Wyotech)

·       Mykenzie Fagan, Rio, Wisc., (Madison Area Technical College)

·       Sierra Fahley, Larsen, Wisc. (Fox Valley Technical)

·       Nikya Fields, Houston, Texas (UTI Houston)

·       Amy Fitzgerald, Tullahoma, Tenn. (Tennessee College of Applied Technology Murfreesboro)

·       Sylvia Fort, Torrance, Calif. (El Camino College) 

·       Ruth Guardiola, Bellevue, Wash. (Metropolitan Community College)

·       Alexandria Huntley, Spring, Texas (UTI Houston)

·       Ren Weilage, Mankato, Minn. (South Central College)

·       Morrigan Wolf, Redmond, Wash. (Lake Washington Institute of Technology)

STARS Recipient, Hometown, Institution Name:

·       Renee Betz, Afton, Okla. (UTI – Houston)

·       MaryAna Buell, Idaho Falls, Ida. (Idaho State University)

·       Taeler Coverdale, Houston, Texas (UTI – Houston)

·       Lizbeth DelReal, Topeka, Kans, (Washburn Institute of Technology)

·       Brooklyn DiFrederico, The Villages, Fla. (Lake Technical College)

·       Carla Vanessa Ortiz Coleman, Jacksonville, N.C. (Coastal Carolina Community College)

·       Sandra Rowland, Maple Hill, N.C. (Coastal Carolina Community College)

·       Mariah Sherman, Houston, Texas (UTI – Houston)

·       Kayla Tollis, Coraopolis, Penn. (Rosedale Technical College)

·       Anastasia Wingo, New Freedom, Penn, (Pennsylvania College of Technology)

WIN also kicked off a new Student Engagement program while continuing to offer mentorship opportunities. WIN student members will connect with other members who are in a similar stage in their lives. The program provides networking and individual connection with women in the industry who can share relevant experiences from their success, according to WIN. These networking groups will support new female entrants to the collision repair field and hopefully create lifetime friendships that further WIN goals for longer term career advancement and retention.

WIN says it is also holding a Scholarship Walk with the goal to raise funds for future scholarships. Top student fundraisers will win prizes including a tool box, spray gun and tool cart. The top business will win bragging rights through a media opportunity. For more information, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/SanAntonio/WIN2023ScholarshipWalkVirtualInperson.

For more information about WIN, visit www.womensindustrynetwork.com.