Information about the 75 students who received awards in 2009 from the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) and the other organizations that collaborate with the GAAS online application has been posted on the alumni page at the Web site.

This listing shows the names of scholarship recipients (68 U.S. students and seven Canadians) and the awards they received.

“The alumni section of the GAAS scholarship Web site assists award winners in networking and beginning their aftermarket careers,” says Pete Kornafel, chairman of the GAAS scholarship committee. “Aftermarket organizations seeking new employees can search the database of all scholarship alumni for those seeking employment. They are certain to find outstanding candidates.”

Scholarship alumni may update their information at the site by clicking “Scholarship Alumni Log-in” button on the Alumni page, and using the e-mail address and password from their original scholarship application. Alumni can update or post content to their personal profile, including contact information, a resume and a photo. Alumni can “opt in” at the site to make their profile information public and visible to all viewers at the Web site. Scholarship alumni seeking employment can also check the “seeking employment” box on their profile listing.

In 2009, a total of 75 students – 68 in the United States and seven in Canada – were awarded scholarships by the GAAS scholarship fund and its contributors. Another 41 awards were made by other groups collaborating with GAAS.  Ten students received multiple awards.  Individual scholarships ranged from $250 to $2,000. A second round of donations in July was made possible by donations of more than $10,000 at GAAS 2009. In its 14-year history, the fund has presented more than $1.4 million in awards to approximately 1,400 students.

Applications are now being accepted online for the 2010 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) scholarship, awarded to students planning automotive aftermarket careers. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 31, 2010.

Collaborative efforts with state associations and other automotive groups include:
• Automotive Aftermarket Association of the Carolinas and Tennessee (AAACT)
• Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast (AAAS)
• Association of Diesel Specialists (ADS)
• Automotive Parts & Services Association (APSA)
• Automotive Parts and Service Association of Illinois (APSA of IL)
• Arizona/California/Nevada Automotive Wholesaler’s Association (CAWA)
• Kentucky / Indiana Automotive Wholesalers Association (KIAWA)
• New York State Automotive Aftermarket Association (NYSAAA)
• Ohio Valley Automotive Aftermarket Association (OVAAA)

Each of these other collaborating groups has their own criteria and selects their own recipients for their scholarships.
 
Additional scholarship funding comes from industry contributions from individuals, companies and foundations. Contributions can be made to the GAAS Scholarship Fund, c/o Susan Medick at AAIA, at 301-654-6664, or susan.medick@aftermarket.org.

The annual two-day Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium brings together industry leaders and experts to examine the issues and trends affecting the automotive aftermarket and influencing its future. The 2010 event is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, May 18-19, at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago, Ill.

The GAAS program is a joint professional education effort of the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA), Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, Automotive Parts Rebuilders Association (APRA), Automotive Service Association (ASA), Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), Motorist Assurance Program (MAP), Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), Tire Industry Association (TIA) and University of the Aftermarket.