The Women In Trucking Foundation announced the selection of thirteen recipients of its scholarship program, providing $1,000 each to winners to further their careers in the trucking industry.
The awardees come from across the U.S. and are enrolled in schools or training programs in categories of driving, leadership, safety or technical fields of study. Four of the thirteen are using the money to earn a Commercial Drivers License, which will help address a critical shortage of drivers facing the industry.
“The Foundation is incredibly proud of the thirteen recipients selected by the judging committee,” said Miranda Barrett, Executive Director. “They all demonstrate a strong commitment to growing themselves within the trucking industry and it’s an honour to help them with this funding.”
Founded in 2010, the Foundation has provided approximately $70,000 in scholarships over the past eight years. It is supported by the Women In Trucking Association, whose mission is to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the industry. The Foundation provides scholarships twice a year, with the next round of applications opening in August.
One recipient of an award is Collen Hardy, who is attending the Universal Technical Institute in Arizona. “I am definitely committed to a long career in the trucking industry because I love what I do!” said Hardy. “I was a local CDL driver for ten years but wanted to do something different. I love trucks and decided to learn how to repair them. Trucking has been good to me and my family, and I’m doing something I love every day.”
“There is such a need for more skilled talent in the trucking industry, and the WIT Foundation provides financial support to help motivated individuals grow their skills,” said Debora Babin Katz, WIT Foundation chair and VP of TrucBrush Corporation. “We hope to keep growing the number of recipients we support, and we are actively seeking partners to make that happen.”
Significant contributors to the WIT Foundation include the Ryder Charitable Foundation, UPS and the J.J. Keller Foundation, which gave a grant in the name of a longstanding employee, Jan Hamblin. The recipient of the Jan Hamblin scholarship is Perla Acuña, who is studying for a Masters in Integrated Supply Chain Management at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
The next round of applications for scholarships will open in August. Individuals or organizations interested in supporting the WIT Foundation can visit www.womenintruckingfoundation.org, or contact miranda@womenintrucking.org.
