91视频

October 18, 2024

91视频 sophomore Jonathan Forrester is among 14 community college and university students statewide named as Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association (MAMA) 2024-25 scholarship recipients.

Forrester, who earned a certificate in EMCC鈥檚 Automotive Technology program earlier this year, is enrolled in the Diesel Mechanic program on the college鈥檚 Golden Triangle campus.

He was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from what was described in a MAMA press release as an 鈥渙utstanding applicant pool.鈥�

Forrester said he is excited about the scholarship award and appreciative for what he has learned at EMCC.

鈥淭he automotive and diesel programs are great,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he training is definitely more in-depth than I thought it would be, especially on the electrical side.鈥�

EMCC Automotive Technology/Diesel Mechanics Department Head Dale Henry believes Forrester is the first student from the department awarded a MAMA scholarship. In a letter of recommendation to MAMA, Henry described Forrester as a model student and stated that he always went above and beyond in fulfilling class assignments and helping fellow classmates.

鈥淗e passed all 10 of his ASE Entry Level Exams on his first attempt, finished the year as the only student with a 4.0 GPA and was named the Outstanding Student in Automotive Technology this year,鈥� Henry wrote.

A Sturgis, Mississippi native, Forrester now resides just outside of Starkville. He said he became interested in mechanics as a youth helping his grandfather, who worked at Mississippi State University鈥檚 R.R. Foil Plant Science Center, known by many as North Farm.

鈥淗e was a mechanic who worked on a lot of the farm equipment and tractors out there and I would help him sometimes,鈥� Forrester said. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業 want to do that.鈥� I want to be a farm technician. I enjoy working on tractors a lot more than I do cars.鈥�

According to a MAMA press release, the agency鈥檚 scholarship fund has supported 243 students with a total of $437,500 in scholarship disbursements since 2006. This year鈥檚 scholarships were awarded to technical and engineering-related majors, as well as non-traditional majors, that can be applied within the automotive industry.

鈥淲e are proud that Mississippi鈥檚 higher education system has invested heavily in educational opportunities and facilities which ensure the state will be able to produce the talented workforce necessary to keep the automotive industry strong,鈥� MAMA President Skip Skaggs states in the press release. 鈥淢AMA is committed to doing our part to recognize that workforce. I congratulate each of these students and wish them success in completing their degree, followed by a successful start in our industry.鈥�