Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Announce 2019 Scholarship Recipients

Kaitlyn Leech, who won both the Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper scholarship and Auto-Wares Group of Companies’ Frank Maggio scholarship, plans to study pre-veterinary at Michigan State University. She is shown here with Auto-Wares Director of Marketing Ryan Backowski.

Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper announced 25 winners of their 2019 scholarship competition. The students, picked from a pool of applicants from across North America, will be awarded $1,000 each.

“We are proud of the achievements of these students, and we are proud to support them as they further their education,” said J.C. Washbish, vice president of marketing for the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance. “These 25 students are members of the Alliance family, and we look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future.”

In order to be considered, candidates were required to complete a rigorous application process that included essay prompts, short answer questions, letters of recommendation and more. They also had to be employees and/or family members of employees. Winners were selected through the University of the Aftermarket Foundation by a panel of judges from a competitive pool of applicants.

“We are all aware of how competitive and expensive the college experience can be. The Alliance’s program is invaluable to all those members facing the frightful costs of a secondary education,” said John Tully, sales manager for Norwood Motor Parts Co. “Our CSC network, distribution center and store employees truly appreciate the value. We at Norwood Motor Parts are very proud to have received three college scholarships awards in 2019 from the Alliance.”

Among this year’s winners, Kaitlyn Leech of Wyoming, Michigan, also was awarded the 2019 Frank V. Maggio Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship, offered by the Auto-Wares Group of Companies, is given to a worthy student to commemorate the life of Maggio, who believed in the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Certified Service Center program and recognized the importance of partnering with his customers to achieve mutual success. Leech will be pursuing a pre-veterinary degree at Michigan State University.

“Auto-Wares is proud to award the Maggio scholarship to Kaitlyn,” said Ryan Backowski, director of marketing for the Auto-Wares Group. “Frank Maggio believed in honesty, trustworthiness and the pursuit of excellence through education. Kaitlyn exemplifies these characteristics with her strong community involvement and through earning a top position in her graduating class. We wish Kaitlyn the best of luck as she continues her education.”

Since the Alliance scholarship program was developed in 2001, it has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to deserving students. The annual program encourages continuing education within the membership and supports the next workforce generation in achieving their educational goals