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TUPELO, MISS. – With the announcement of Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association’s 2023-2024 Scholarship Recipients, MAMA’s scholarship fund that has supported 205 students enrolled in Mississippi community colleges and universities reached a total of $407,500 awarded since 2006.
From an outstanding applicant pool, MAMA has awarded 13 scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year to community college and university students interested in pursuing a career in the automotive manufacturing industry. MAMA has supported the growth of a strong workforce essential to the health of all industries in the state since its inception in 2006. This year’s scholarships were awarded to technical and engineering-related majors, as well as non-traditional majors, that can be applied within the automotive industry.
Holmes Community College’s Elton Thompson in the Collision Repair Technology Program is among the winners for this year.
According to MAMA, “(Thompson) has been dedicated to academics, extracurricular activities, and community service all while working two jobs. His love of restoring old vehicles and repairing today’s more complex vehicles that have been involved in accidents led Elton to the Collision Repair program where he is excelling. Thompson’s instructor described him as one of his best and hardest working students. Elton received the program’s 2023 Collision Repair Technology Award while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. After a class visit to an automotive restoration shop, Elton returned to the restoration shop to enquire about part-time help. With recommendations from Thompson’s instructor, Mike Martin at Classic Restorations in Gluckstadt hired Elton and has been pleased with his work ethic and high level of body work skills. The company hopes to hire him upon his completion of the collision repair program.”
Safety and environmental issues, along with the potential to make cars safer and more accessible for everyone, particularly individuals with disabilities, were recurring interests expressed in essays submitted by this year’s recipients. The students discussed the possibilities of integrating innovative technologies into vehicle production to create a world where each driver and passenger could embark on safe and enjoyable journeys. They expressed excitement about the opportunity to be part of this transformative process and to witness the continuous advancements in automotive technology.
MAMA serves it members by promoting growth, development, and improvement in the automotive industry in Mississippi, as well as serving as a forum for interaction among automotive manufacturing companies in the state. In extending his congratulations, Kevin Burgess, MAMA’s President, said, “Mississippi has an environment conducive to advanced manufacturing. We are proud that Mississippi’s higher education system has invested heavily in educational opportunities and facilities which ensures the state will be able to produce the talented workforce necessary to keep the automotive industry strong. MAMA is committed to doing our part to recognize that workforce. I congratulate each of these students and wish them success in completing their degree, followed by a successful start in our industry!”
For more information about the MAMA Scholarship program, visit the MAMA website at https://mamaonline.net/scholarships .
Thanks to MAMA for this release.
