Money for college
Time is running out.
Applications for the OOIDA Mary Johnston Scholarship program are due Feb. 1.
The program, established in 1998, assists the children, grandchildren and legal dependents of OOIDA members.
Each year, five scholarship recipients are selected.
Any members with children or grandchildren planning to attend a college or trade school should encourage them to apply. In addition, any truck drivers who are not OOIDA members but have kids in need of a scholarship should consider becoming a member to gain eligibility.
The applicant must be under the age of 22 as of the deadline date. However, existing college students can still apply as long as they are 21 or younger.
As part of the program, one $2,000 scholarship and four $1,000 scholarships are awarded.
The funds are transferred directly to the student’s selected institution and can be renewed for a total of four years. Completion of a renewal form is required to renew the scholarship, and it will be mailed to scholarship winners each year. An alternate also will be selected.
To date, the program has awarded students about $400,000 in scholarships.
“The Mary Johnston Scholarship was purposefully designed to help students who are often overlooked by traditional scholarships by opening up the program to all majors, including those associated with technical schools and not just four-year universities,” said Andrew King, a research analyst for the OOIDA Foundation.
Application information is available at OOIDA.com. All required materials, including a 500-word essay and transcript from a high school or institution of higher learning, must be postmarked no later than Feb. 1.
The essay should cover three topics.
- List and discuss three positive aspects of the influence of the trucker in your life.
- How does your choice of an educational goal utilize the strongest attributes of your personality?
- What changes do you see down the road, in five or 10 years, that would improve the trucking industry?
The OOIDA Scholarship Advisory Committee will hold a blind evaluation to select winners, who will be notified by a letter following OOIDA’s spring board meeting.
Funds can be used for tuition or legitimate school-related expenses. Following enrollment verification, OOIDA will deposit the funds into the student’s account at the institution of their choice.
OOIDA members, corporate sponsors, Land Line Magazine and Owner-Operator Services Inc. are among the program contributors. To join the growing list of sponsors, contact Andrew_King@OOIDA.com or send tax-deductible donations to:
OOIDA Foundation Inc.
1 NW OOIDA Drive
Grain Valley, MO 64029.
2022 winners
Last year’s top scholarship winner was Brayden Schildhauer, the son of OOIDA member Daniel Schildhauer.
Brayden said that his father has been a great influence.
“Through him, I have learned patience and that hard work pays off,” Schildhauer said. “He’s always been a big role model for me. He has always done his absolute best to balance his time at home and on the road. I couldn’t be the person I am today without him.”
The other 2022 scholarship winners were Trista Alvarado, Ethan Krueger, Lauren Derscheid and Karlee Duffey. Gabriella Nassios was the alternate.
“We have received several letters over the years from both current and past recipients thanking us for helping them further their education,” King said. “It’s always a blessing to read how our program has touched the lives of so many individuals and families.” LL