So... We are thinking about doing a TJJ/HAMB Scholarship to a auto tech school. Something where we pick the beneficiary, etc... Something cool. Nothing lame. Anyway, I don't know shit about the tech schools out there these days. Any of you fellas in the know? Which would be a good school for me to approach? Thoughts?
What about this place? http://www.mcpherson.edu/academics/autorestoration.php They're like the only college in the country with an automotive restoration program. ~Jason
Yeah - what he said. LOL! It's not a "big box", cookie-cutter school. Hell, I think Leno sends a little love their way, too. ~Jason
I figured they were. I even think I remember a while back someone from there (student or faculty) put up a sort of a photo tour... ~Jason
I went through the Mcpherson 1 week Auto Upholstery class last June. I was impressed with the place. One student from my class was going back for the entire program, he took the one week class to check out the college.
There's also School of Automotive Machinists out of Houston. Good people and I know several grads. Mainly do race stuff though.
I certainly think so. Wouldn't it be cool to see a guy go there on the HAMB scholarship, and come out of school a HAMB Alliance vendor? ~Jason
Great idea Ryan. I'd humbly submit my opinion on the matter. Most colleges and trade schools are failry well funded, and students who are interested in going to them typically can get financial aid if needed. It would seem to me, it might be better to pick a high-school shop program or two that would benefit from a TJJ scholarship type donation. High schools are losing their shop programs left and right.
Why not let the person awarded the Scholarship choose their own school. As long as its a automotive who cares? Example, what if a guy wants to go to a University for Automotive Engineering?
Mcphearson should be the place, as stated before they are the only school that offers a degree in antique auto restoration. I think it fits better with the mission of this site more than a UTI, Wyotech or Lincolin Tech.
I'm sort of in the same boat on this one. I have a chemical engineer that I'm funding through school. She applied for about twenty scholarships, got one from a manufacturer for about $2000.00, not much to the big picture but still very happy to get it. The manufacturer dispensed 10) $2000.00 scholarships, they used a firm that did scholarship disbursement, It keeps it fair and theres no monkey business that way, nor any accusations towards such. I think it would be a cool idea to offer the smaller ones to multiple kids, it also would take the bright focus off of that one kid, college is stressful enough without 135,000 hambers watching you. It works better too because the kids reapply every year, keeps the kids working hard to maintain a grade to keep the money available. It's a great idea.
I have to agree with bryan6902 and Francisco Plumbero. I'm paying my own way through the auto collision program at my local community college. Any dollar helps pay rent, keeps my loans low. I think it should be the passion and pursuit not the school. But if it has to be a school McPhearson should get it.
The couple she received went directly to the school. She has been fortunate enough to get national merit scholarship as well. That goes right to the finance office. You have realize as well that not all kids make it, or they switch stuff up per their experience. You can put all your eggs in the one basket and hope for one great moment, sadly sometimes the stress can take the moment away. If you spread it around it's still an awesome thing to be doing, a damn noble thing to do. If you do the multiple scholarships the plumbing company is in for $200.00.
When I was graduating high school (jeez, it was a while ago) a tech school/college in the area gave a substantial tool set instead of cash. A couple of Snap-on rollaways filled with either auto body or mechanic tools depending on the students direction. I know that an envelope of cash is easier but I bet those guys probably still have most of those tools.
How about instead of a tech school maby an aprenteship(sp?) with an actual rod builder? I know two people that are out of uti hot rod program, neither work in the trade because there just isn't a lot of need for them, so the ones that do get hired are the ones with real life experience rather than the tech school green horns. I don't know if maby bruce's rod shop would offer a 6 month deal or maby salt flats speedshop or one of the other rod shops right here on the hamb. I think they would learn more about how things happed and how the biz is ran that way. What do you think? just an idea.
As a guy that went through a very good auto body program, at the local CC and am no longer in the trade, I think this is a MUCH better idea. Once I had been in the mechanic trade for a few years I would just cringe when my boss would tell me about the new guy he hired that graduated from one of the big schools. Out of the 5-6 I worked with only one was worth hiring, and that was because he knew he still had alot to learn, and wanted to learn. Whenever some one tells me they want to go to college to be a mechanic first I try to talk them out of the trade, and second I tell them to just get a job in a shop and work up, they will be much better off. I think it is also safe to say, most shop owners would MUCH rather hire a guy that told them he had went through a two year apprentice program, then to one of the big tech schools. I would!
After reading many posts on the HAMB I would think it is safe to say that most of the members here got their start in a H.S. Auto shop class. A scholarship for one student would only directly effect that one student. In this day and age with all the cuts to public education and H.S. auto shop programs on the endangered species list, I think the best way to make an impact would be to somehow support the struggling programs and spot light the successful ones. Think of what an impact the "Save the Music" campaign has had on music programs that would have been eliminated. I work in one of the largest school districts in New York outside of N.Y.C. and we only have 2 High Schools with an auto shop program. In the County 3 more schools have an auto program. When these programs are cut they will never come back. Usually the deciding factor is not enrollment but program cost. If a district needs to spend $10,000 on new lifts for an auto lab that will sometimes be the deciding factor to eliminate the program. For a manufacturer or supplier a donation of product not only can be a tax deduction but now has created future generations of consumers for their product and brand loyalty. Just my 2 cents. Where have all the H.S. auto shops gone?
Just throwing my hat in the ring on this one, but..grass roots logic: What about something towards a certified welding school??
I would say McPherson, or how about scholarship to any college grad to attend an advanced metal shaping course from some of the best.
Frankie goes to McPherson, maybe she can chime in here about the school. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/member.php?u=27383 I do think that the scholarship would be a good idea, but I think that the money should go directly to the school. I know of a bunch of people in my past that have bought TV's and couches and other stuff with their multiple college scholarships. Chris
I go to the Hot Rod Institute here in Rapid City. It is still a fairly new school. here is a link to there site http://www.hotrodinstitute.com/?gclid=CIrnmZmLsKcCFRQv3wodzWbMCA. And here you can see what I have done there http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=525032.
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