WIN Scholarship Campaign Raises Almost $10K to Support Collision Repair Education

This year, the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) announced that its 2024 Scholarship Fundraiser Walk and Donations programs raised an additional $9,670 to support a record 30 student scholarships recently presented by the network, according to a news release.

These additional funds, along with group sponsorship and general fund commitments, supplemented WIN’s recent announcement of providing $30,000 in scholarship support this year.

WIN Scholarships are awarded annually to deserving students enrolled in post-secondary collision repair technology programs. This year, WIN expanded its signature scholarship program, continuing its tradition of financially supporting women who demonstrate a desire to excel in the field of collision repair.

“The mission of the Women’s Industry Network is to support and enhance the role of women in the collision repair industry, promoting education, professional advancement and networking,” said Laura Kottschade, 2024 chair of the WIN Student Relations Committee. “This also grows the collision industry’s much-needed workforce. That’s why WIN and its sponsors play a crucial role in supporting and educating tomorrow’s collision repair professionals today. These additional funds complement what our sponsors and our general fund provide, and have allowed WIN to award a record number of scholarships this past year.”

“This year, the Scholarship Walk was combined with an ongoing donation campaign, along with on-site SWAG and bracelet sales,” said April Keim and Christina Sepulveda, WIN scholarship fundraising co-chairs. “We separated the Scholarship Walk, support sales items, and the Scholarship Fundraiser to simplify and expand it for participant involvement. We’re especially proud of all the individuals, as well as the corporate/business involvement, with the top three organizations recognized for their generosity.”

The final results from the top three businesses in the scholarship fundraisers include:

• $1,700 – Enterprise Mobility, which manages the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand
• $1,190 – Classic Collision
• $1,000 – Jerry’s Abra Auto Body & Glass

“We are thrilled to support the Women’s Industry Network’s mission to enhance the role of women in the collision repair industry,” said Mary Mahoney, vice president of Enterprise Mobility. “As a leading provider of mobility solutions, Enterprise Mobility has a major stake in the health of the automotive repair industry. We are committed to investing in its continued success through participating in the WIN Scholarship fundraisers and providing foundational support for the Collision Engineering program, which aims to develop a new generation of highly skilled, motivated and passionate collision repair professionals.”

WIN previously announced a record number of new recipients of its 2024 WIN College Student Tuition and Conference Scholarship Awards, where the selected recipients receive extensive tool kits and/or scholarship funds.

2024 also saw a record number of student applications, as WIN partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) to expand its reach to those looking for a career in collision repair. These scholarships are awarded annually to deserving students enrolled in post-secondary collision repair technology programs.

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. All award recipients and applicants are also eligible to participate in WIN’s monthly mentoring program, where they engage in student group calls and share best practices with collision industry professionals, as well as their peers.