The McPherson College Automotive Restoration program was recently awarded a grant from The RPM Foundation to fund eight RPM Scholars and provide Internship Gap Funding for students.
“The work that is being done by RPM Foundation to connect young people to meaningful careers through their love of automobiles is important,” Amanda Gutierrez, vice president of Automotive Restoration, said. “By supporting scholarships and providing internship gap funding, the Foundation eases the expenses associated with studying on campus as well as summer learning opportunities around the country.”
The eight students named RPM Scholars are: Braden Hess, Prospect, Pennsylvania; Erik Wallace, Pantego, North Carolina; Zachary Alexander, Newton, Kansas; Dylan Riley, Lake Ozark, Missouri; Matthew Nutting, Foxboro, Massachusetts; Charles Hoehaver, Auburn, Alabama; Gray Irwin, Shawnee Mission, Kansas; Abi Morgan, Lansing, Illinois.
The RPM Foundation supports restoration and preservation training programs for the next generation of automotive, motorcycle, and marine craftsmen. Since 2003, the foundation has funded 87 scholarships for AR students at McPherson College.
“RPM has enjoyed a strong partnership with McPherson College, facilitating more than $700,000 in funding through program grants and we are proud again this year to congratulate the scholarship recipients,” Diane Fitzgerald, president of The RPM Foundation, said. “We are looking forward to assisting these and other students so they may become vital members of the automotive craftsmen community.”
The college along with the industry has benefited from the long-time association with and funding from RPM, according to Gutierrez. For example, there are currently four alumni on the AR faculty and staff who were RPM Scholars while students.
“We can really see the impact of this type of support,” Gutierrez said. “Not only do the recipients of these scholarships go on to work in the automotive industry, but four of our faculty were RPM scholars who are now committed to training the next generation of automotive industry leaders.”