As Northwood University kicks off its Leadership 2.0 course in Midland, Michigan, this week, two students are in attendance courtesy of Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper scholarships.
Terry Collins, general manager at Auto-Wares Group of Companies, and Nick Prince, director of operations at Dykstra’s Auto (an Auto-Wares Certified Service Center), were selected from several Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper candidates for the prestigious scholarships.
Collins joined the automotive industry in 1994 as a counter salesman. He has achieved several certifications, including ASE P2. and was a founding member of multiple certified service dealer councils for Auto-Wares, among other leadership responsibilities.
“I am sincerely honored to have been selected. I want to thank the Alliance and all the members for your generosity,” Collins said. “Having spent my entire career in the aftermarket, I am humbled by and excited for this opportunity to further my education within our great industry and continue to improve upon my skills as a leader.”
Prince, an 11-year employee of Dykstra’s, became interested in Leadership 2.0 after attending Northwood University’s Aftermarket 101 course this past spring.
“I am extremely thankful for the scholarship and opportunity to continue to grow in my career and in the industry. I have always had a love for cars, but an even bigger love for helping people,” Prince said. “This is a great chance for me to get a more directed approach to helping not only my company, but the people in it that I serve. I look forward to the program and the chance to learn and make new connections.”
Prince was a worthy selection due to his work ethic, leadership skills and desire to learn, according to Ryan Backowski, director of marketing at Auto-Wares.
“Leadership 2.0 will be a fantastic course for Nick,” Backowski said. “As a growing member of the Dykstra’s Auto team, Nick has earned his place through a strong work ethic and desire to further his career through continuing education. I am certain the information and skills learned during this program will be put to use immediately.”
As a part of the program, both scholarship winners will attend two intensive one-week sessions. The first week of classes began Aug. 12 at Northwood University’s campus in Midland. The second session will take place in March 2020 in Raleigh, North Carolina. During the months between sessions, Collins, Prince and other attendees will collaborate on projects.
Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper annually select one scholarship recipient from a warehouse distributor and another from a service dealer. Each scholarship is worth more than $6,000 and covers all course fees, books and more.
