$25K gift will fund a permanent WCC scholarship beginning in 2017
Toyota Technical Center (TTC), located in Ann Arbor, Michigan is responsible for the Research and Development in North America for Toyota Motor Corporation and has long supported Washtenaw Community College’s (WCC) mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives through accessible and excellent educational programs and services.
One of the ways TTC shows its support is through a recent endowment in the amount of $25,000, awarded to the Washtenaw Community College Foundation.
As WCC celebrates its 50th anniversary and the WCC Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary, Toyota created the endowment to show its support of the college’s commitment to students.
The Toyota Technical Center scholarship is what is called a Gold Endowment (minimum $20,000) that will create a permanent scholarship to support one student per academic year, beginning in the fall semester of 2017.
The endowment will serve students pursuing an associate degree in one of three automotive programs: Automotive Service Technology, Automotive Test Technician, or Powertrain Development Technical.
“Toyota is committed to uplifting aspiring engineers and automakers in our surrounding communities,” said Scott Miller, executive engineer of Safety and Crashworthiness at the TTC.
Miller also serves as a director on the WCC Foundation Board. “It is our civic responsibility to promote education in our youth while also upholding our own standard of excellence. The youth of today are the future of tomorrow,” he said.
The Toyota Technical Center currently employs close to 10 WCC graduates, several of whom began their careers with Toyota as interns.
“WCC students do more than just change tires. They are excellent high-level technicians that contribute to valuable research and high-end testing,” said Miller. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of education and skills they bring with them to the Toyota work environment.”
“We are very grateful for this generous support from Toyota,” said WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca. “These specific automotive programs are crucial to what we know are immediate needs in the automotive industry as it reinvents itself in the area of mobility – where there is a rapid convergence of auto and technology. These scholarships will assure that our students have the specific skills needed to make an immediate and seamless transition into this swiftly evolving workforce.” In addition to this endowment, Toyota has also extended generous donations of electronics testing equipment, valued at thousands of dollars, which will directly benefit students enrolled in laboratory classes in the electrical technologies department.
Toyota continues to support the mission of the WCC Foundation by helping sponsor annual events such as the Jerry Jernigan Memorial “Drive for Education” Golf Outing, Mardi Gras Gala and Women’s Council Luncheon.
By Jessica Bibbee
Intern, Public Relations