The Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) Scholarship Committee has awarded scholarships to 154 students in 2007. The $1,000 scholarships represent 142 students in the U.S., and 12 in Canada.

Pete Kornafel, chairman of the GAAS scholarship committee, said t his year's selection process included a new collaborative effort with the Breslow Foundation and with APSA, the wholesaler association headquartered in Texas that represents nine southwestern states. "We were able to pool all applications from these groups allowing APSA, Breslow Foundation, and GAAS to each make their own selections by reviewing applicants who met their unique requirements and criteria," explained Kornafel. The awards included GAAS Scholarships funded by donations from the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, ASC Industries, and R.L. Polk & Co.
"This year's pooling of resources opens the door for www.automotivescholarships.com to become a web site where a student can be considered for several automotive scholarships by submitting just one application," said Kornafel. "This is a great new service for students, and improves their opportunity to get financial help for training to enter our industry. I hope other organizations who provide scholarships for the aftermarket will consider joining this new flexible and collaborative effort."
To be eligible for a GAAS scholarship, applicants must be enrolled full-time in a college-level program or an ASE/NATEF (National Automotive Technician Education Foundation) certified automotive technical program. Graduate programs and part-time undergraduate programs do not qualify.
The GAAS scholarship also is unique in that recipients who graduate from their program and show proof of employment as a technician in the automotive aftermarket for at least six months after graduation can receive a second matching grant
GAAS Scholarship applications for 2008 will be available online at www.automotivescholarships.com beginning in September 2007. The deadline for submitting 2008 scholarship applications is Monday, March 31, 2008.