Increasing the Impact: 2025 CREF Student Scholarships and Tool Grants Benefit More Students Than Ever

Created for Collision Repair Education Foundation

The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of collision students through its annual Student Scholarship program, and it’s particularly gratifying to continue expanding that impact in 2025 by awarding over $275,000 in tuition assistance and tools to a substantial number of students – 163 future collision industry professionals benefitted from the industry’s generosity through this year’s program.

CREF’s ability to support a greater number of students in 2025 is directly correlated to the growing amount of industry engagement as more organizations recognize the value of investing in the future generation, but it also results from CREF’s ongoing efforts to engage schools, instructors and students, raising awareness of this opportunity. Thanks to its work to alter the public’s perception of the industry and its activities to interact with the next generation, the Foundation saw a 46% increase in 2025 Student Scholarship applications compared to last year!

Students receiving support through CREF’s 2025 Scholarships acknowledge that this support has the power to transform their futures.

“This scholarship will help me go into my career in the collision field with very little in student loans,” shares 2025 CREF Student Scholarship recipient Alexandra Snodgrass (Lincoln College of Technology; Nashville, TN). “This means a lot to me because it means I can use my earnings on tools to help further my career. I am very thankful for this award.”

Jeret Ankrum (Southeast Technical College; Sioux Falls, SD) expresses a similar thought. “This scholarship will help me afford the tools and training I need to stay focused and keep advancing in my collision repair career.”

“The funds from this scholarship have impacted my education by giving me the opportunity to focus on school and not worry about the financial aspect of education as much,” Addison Zick (Pennsylvania College of Technology; Williamsport, PA) weighs in. “It means a lot to me that I was selected as this is a field that I have been interested in for a while and now I can learn about it with less of a burden looming overhead. Instead, I can solely focus on doing my best to learn and grow.”

Angel Nungaray (Lincoln College of Technology; Denver, CO) also feels honored to receive a CREF Student Scholarship this year, noting that “it will make a significant impact on my education in the collision repair field;” however, the impact goes beyond the monetary value of what he received. “Not only does it help cover the costs of tools and training I need to keep advancing in the collision repair field, but it also gives me a sense of support. This assistance will allow me to focus more on my studies and hands-on training without worrying as much about the financial strain. My ultimate goal is to become a certified collision repair technician and eventually become a collision estimator in this industry.”

“Knowing that CREF supports students like me reminds me why I chose this path,” Nungaray adds. “I want to be part of an industry that builds people up and gives back.”

CREF’s 2025 Student Scholarships accounted for $181,900 of the funds distributed to collision students, while nearly $50,000 in tools were distributed via in-kind donations made to the Foundation to provide students with high-quality tools as they begin to build their toolboxes.

“CREF is honored to recognize these outstanding students through the 2025 scholarships and tool grants,” said Melissa Marscin, Director of Operations and Impact for CREF. “These students are truly committed to pursuing their education and in becoming part of the collision industry, and we hope these awards help to contribute to their successful careers.”

State Farm supported CREF’s efforts to aid students in their studies with a generous donation of $40,000 toward student scholarships. Phillip Ortiz (Guilford Technical Community College; Jamestown, NC) received a $5,000 scholarship. Annika Idsinga (Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR) and David Overturf (John A. Logan College; Carterville, IL) each received $2,000 scholarships funded by State Farm, while Tyler Penney (Lincoln College of Technology; Denver, CO) was awarded $1,500. Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 were provided to Jace Emerson (South Side High School; Jackson, TN) and Collin Fisher (Erie 1 BOCES; Buffalo, NY).

Additionally, the following 11 students were each awarded $2,500 toward continuing their education:

• Suehey Barajas (Lewis-Clark State College; Lewiston, ID)
• Sebastian Chalemin (Morris County School of Technology; Denville, NJ)
• Matthew Cobb (Kennedy-King College; Chicago, IL)
• Alice Cook (Collin College Technical Campus; Allen, TX)
• Deston Heiner (Salt Lake Community College; Sandy, UT)
• Amber Jackson (South Plains College; Levelland, TX)
• Milton Jimenez Perez (Chattanooga State Community College; Chattanooga, TN)
• Samantha Madrigal (Logansport High School; Logansport, IN)
• Travis Magney (Hennepin Technical College; Brooklyn Park, MN)
• Eureka Milien (Lorenzo Walker Technical College; Naples, FL)
• Amariah Wright (Jonesboro High School; Jonesboro, AR)

PPG and the PPG Foundation funded $37,000 in scholarships, distributed between 13 students. Angel Nungaray (Lincoln College of Technology; Denver, CO) received $5,000 toward tuition costs, and Thierry Lima (Contra Costa College; San Pablo, CA) was awarded a $2,000 PPG MVP Scholarship. Eleven students with a special interest in the painting segment of the industry each received scholarships to help fund their education and ensure they have the opportunity to pursue a future career in the collision repair industry.

The recipients of a $3,000 scholarship from the PPG Foundation include:

• Lindsey Champ (Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR)
• Ashley Hainline (Idaho State University; Pocatello, ID)
• Sheree Kenon (Wake Technical Community College; Raleigh, NC)
• Erika Selman (Lincoln College of Technology; Indianapolis, IN)
• Aryanna Solis (College of Lake County; Grayslake, IL)
• Ashley Urena (College of Southern Nevada; Las Vegas, NV)
• Dusty VanHyfte (Lincoln College of Technology; Indianapolis, IN)
• Adam Zwastetzky (Rosedale Technical College; Pittsburgh, PA)

The PPG Foundation awarded $2,000 scholarships to:

• Oliver Fettkether (Hawkeye Community College; Waterloo, IA)
• Leonardo Lopez-Perez (Lorenzo Walker Technical College; Naples, FL)
• Isabella Mendoza (Gateway Community College; Phoenix, AZ)

Five exemplary students were selected as the recipients of this year’s Adelmann Family Scholarships. Each winner will receive funding toward tuition and/or education loans. A $7,500 scholarship was awarded to Jeret Ankrum (Southeast Technical College; Sioux Falls, SD), and Isabell Schmidt (South Central College; North Mankato, MN) received $2,500. The following three students were selected to receive $4,000 scholarships:

• Seth Meyer (Dunwoody College of Technology; Minneapolis, MN)
• Alexandra Snodgrass (Lincoln College of Technology; Nashville, TN)
• Miranda Vanek (Northeast Community College; Prague, NE)

In addition to supporting CREF and collision schools and students in myriad other ways, Hertz funded 10 scholarships in 2025. Four students were awarded $2,500:

• Daniel Castrejon (Clackamas Community College; Canby, OR)
• Arcadus Hamilton (Kennedy-King College; Chicago, IL)
• Johone Lucas (Oakland Schools Technical Campuses – Southeast; Royal Oak, MI)
• Rafael Luna (Technology, Exploration & Career Center West; Lewisville, TX)

Six additional students received $1,000 each:

• Dennys Guzman Campos (Contra Costa College; San Pablo, CA)
• Annabelle Hernandez Guerrero (Metropolitan Community College; Omaha, NE)
• Tristen Jeffrey (Aims Community College; Windsor, CO)
• Kylie Kasievich (Steel Center CTE; Jefferson Hills, PA)
• Allan Powsey (Tulsa Technology Center; Broken Arrow, OK)
• Taylor Skretteberg (Bellingham Technical College; Bellingham, WA)

LKQ continued its efforts to support collision students by donating $10,000 toward scholarships in 2025. Tessa Pauley (Fort Hayes Arts & Academics High School, Fort Hayes Career Center; Columbus, OH) received a $4,000 scholarship, and Julian Minjarez (Collin College Technical Campus; Allen, TX) was award $3,000 toward the cost of a collision education. Two students were awarded $1,500 scholarships funded by LKQ:

• Malone Dallara (Petaluma High School; Petaluma, CA)
• Isabella Roll (North Dakota State College of Science; Wahpeton, ND)

OEM Roundtable succored the future of the collision repair industry with a $10,000 donation to fund five student scholarships. David Avila (Contra Costa College; San Pablo, CA) and De’Aires Smith (Texas State Technical College; Waco, TX) were the recipients of $3,000 scholarships, while Levi Wellbrock (Victoria Junior-Senior High School; Victoria, KS) was awarded $2,000. Joan Cervantes (Kennedy-King College; Chicago, IL) and Joseph Earl (Tennessee College of Applied Technology; Elizabethton, TN) each benefitted from $1,000 scholarships.

BASF awarded $3,000 scholarships to three deserving students to help them prepare for their future collision industry careers:

• Kevin Cisneros (Memorial High School; Port Arthur, TX)
• Jacqueline Nguyen (Portland Community College; Portland, OR)
• Jacob Runkle (Pearl City High School; Pearl City, IL)

Thanks to a generous donation from CCC, three lucky college students will receive a CCC Michael Salvatore Repair Technician Scholarship, valued at $3,000 each. CCC’s ongoing dedication to the industry helps ensure that these students and others have the resources and opportunities they need to achieve their goals.

The lucky recipients of CCC’s 2025 student scholarships include:

• Hayli Edwards (Contra Costa College; San Pablo, CA)
• Mason Hershman (Aims Community College; Windsor, CO)
• Kelby Rogers (Texas State Technical College; Waco, TX)

Three outstanding students benefitted from a donation by JW Bagley Foundation Scholarships, a non-industry entity that supports CREF’s mission. Addison Zick (Pennsylvania College of Technology; Williamsport, PA) received $4,000 in funding, Mayci Grinnell (Technical Careers High School; Idaho Falls, ID) was award a $2,500 scholarship, and a $2,000 scholarship was bestowed upon Amber Land (Arcadia Valley Career Technology Center; Ironton, MO).

In its 13^th year, the annual Hire Our Heroes program is a part of 3M’s ongoing efforts to provide military veterans with educational opportunities in the collision repair industry, and the grants are open to collision repair students who currently serve, or recently served, in the U.S. military. Criteria to be considered for the Hire Our Heroes awards and grants include financial need, future plans and past academic achievement. 3M’s 2025 Hire Our Heroes scholarships were awarded to the following five military veterans to help them further their collision careers:

• Herbert Beard (University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College; Little Rock, AR)
• Jesse Biederman (Aims Community College; Windsor, CO)
• Casey Dubois (Lincoln College of Technology; Denver, CO)
• Allen Harris (Hillsborough Community College; Tampa, FL)
• Aaron Meier (North Dakota State College of Science; Wahpeton, ND)

A $3,500 donation from Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) was distributed to four worthy collision students, who each received scholarships for $875:

• Brady Christensen (North Sanpete High School; Mount Pleasant, UT)
• Kristina Glasow (South Carolina Whitmore School; Columbia, SC)
• Raul Ramirez (Omaha, NE)
• Lillian Wellbrock (Hays High School; Hays, KS)

Created to honor Lon Baudoux, I-CAR Development Manager who passed away in 2008, the Lon Baudoux Memorial Scholarship is funded primarily by I-CAR staff and instructors who worked with Baudoux, in recognition of the importance he placed on collision repair students receiving a proper education. Scholarship funds are designed to help students finance their education. Recipients are selected based on academic excellence, as well as participation in outside activities, such as sports, clubs and volunteer work. The following two students were each awarded a $1,000 Lon Baudoux Memorial Scholarship:

• Cloud Kline (Aims Community College; Windsor, CO)
• Grant Overfelt (Herndon Career Center; Raytown, MO)

The Collision Repair Education Foundation Board of Trustees awarded $1,000 scholarships to the following two students:

• Maizie Kolb (Milford High School; Milford, NE)
• Ayline Maqueda Flores (Lewis-Clark State College; Lewiston, ID)

Through a $2,000 donation from Erie Insurance, CREF was able to award a scholarship to Jessica Henderson (Lincoln College of Technology; Indianapolis, IN).

Fix Auto USA continued its partnership with CREF by awarding a $2,000 scholarship to Marisa Meyer (Warren Tech Central; Lakewood, CO).

The third annual Jeff Silver Memorial Scholarship, valued at $2,000, was awarded to Shania Taylor-Harbor (Southern California Regional Occupational Center; Bakersfield, CA). Established in December 2022, the Jeff Silver Memorial Scholarship honors the memory and long-lasting legacy of Jeff Silver, a respected trailblazer and leader in industry repair standards. Due to Silver’s love for the collision industry and dedication to ensuring that the next generation would enjoy the same opportunities within the field, his family believes the “Jeff Silver Memorial Scholarship,” designed to help remove financial barriers for students studying collision repair, is the perfect way to continue the legacy he left behind.

Through the Sulkala Family Scholarship, Enoc Portillo (Texas Southmost College; Brownsville, TX) received a $1,000 scholarship. Administered by the Foundation, the Sulkala Family Scholarship was created to honor the 50-year career and legacy of Chuck Sulkala, founder and former executive director of the National Auto Body Council (NABC), who retired in 2018.

For the second year, the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) partnered with CREF to administer its scholarship program and expand its reach. In 2025, WIN awarded $34,500 in scholarships plus an additional $10,000 in tool kits to 40 young women pursuing a collision career. WIN scholarship recipients also received a complimentary WIN Student Membership and will be eligible to participate in WIN’s mentoring program, which consists of student engagement group calls where they will have the opportunity to share best practices with collision industry professionals as well as their peers.

Additionally, 160 students received tools through generous in-kind donations from Craftsman, DeVilbiss and FujiSpray. Craftsman’s donation, valued at $17,400, benefitted 116 students, while DeVilbiss donated over $27,000 worth of spray guns to 36 future refinish professionals. FujiSpray selected 10 winners who each received a $500 spray gun.

This year’s scholarship recipients demonstrate a shift in demographics and growth in diversity. Over 70% of the students receiving a scholarship are women and other minorities, demonstrating the industry’s forward movement toward a more diverse workforce. More than 42% of these students identify as female, while nearly half (46%) of the recipients self-reported a race other than Caucasian. Just over a quarter of the students who received support in 2025 listed their race as Hispanic or Latino. The diversity seen among this year’s applicants can partially be attributed to the Foundation’s collaboration with WIN, but CREF is excited to see how this shift demonstrates a growing interest in this field among young women and other underserved populations, who bring new perspectives that promise to strengthen the industry.

High school and college collision repair education students were eligible for these awards, which provide students with financial support to enable them to continue their education and prepare them for a successful career in body shops around the country.

Industry members interested in getting involved and supporting the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s efforts to assist high school and college collision repair training programs can Contact Us to learn about the many ways to get involved. Monetary donations can be made online.

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The Collision Repair Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting collision repair educational programs, schools and students to create qualified, entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities. For information on how to donate to programs supported by the Education Foundation, visit us online at: www.CollisionRepairEducationFoundation.org.

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If you would like more information about this topic or any of CREF’s initiatives, please email info@ed-foundation.org.