Scholarships available through OOIDA program

For more than 20 years, the OOIDA Mary Johnston Scholarship program has helped the children and grandchildren of truck drivers receive a higher education.

Since 1998, the scholarship has contributed nearly $350,000 to 100 awardees. The program will add to those numbers because it will soon unveil a new class of scholarship winners from the children, grandchildren and legal dependents of OOIDA members.

Applications and all required materials for the 2020 scholarships must be postmarked no later than Feb. 1.

Each year, one $2,000 scholarship and four $1,000 scholarships are awarded. An alternate also is named each year. The funds are transferred directly to the student’s selected institution and can be renewed for three additional years. In order to renew the scholarship, the student must complete and return a renewal form that will be mailed to the winners each year.

The funds can be used for tuition or any legitimate school-related expenses.

Go to OOIDA.com to learn how to apply. Each student must submit an application, a 500-word essay on the topic indicated on the application, and a transcript from high school or from an institution of higher learning.

The students are selected in a blind evaluation conducted by the OOIDA Scholarship Advisory Committee.

Winners will be notified by a letter after OOIDA’s spring board meeting. OOIDA will verify enrollment and deposit the funds directly into the student’s account at the college or technical school of his or her choice.

Last year’s $2,000 scholarship recipient was Briana Jimenez, who is the stepdaughter of OOIDA member Edgar Escalera of Omaha, Neb. The four $1,000 scholarship winners were Kincaid Johnson, Emily Holland, Hunter Eaton, and Diana Tkachuk. Caitlynn Doyle was named the alternate.

According to Andrew King of the OOIDA Foundation, each of the current scholarship recipients boast a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. LL