Dr. Maureen Cartledge, new St. Philip's College dean of applied science and technology, addresses recipients of the Gunn Automotive Group Tools Scholarship for automotive technology majors, who were honored in a ceremony at the college's Watson Fine Arts Center. (Photo by Patrick Evans).

When most students win a scholarship, they get money, but one set of students at St. Philip’s College is getting so much more—like a 200-pound box! Gunn Automotive Group, Alamo Community College District Foundation and St. Philip’s College held a co-presentation to honor and inspire the eight recipients of the Gunn Automotive Group Tools Scholarship at the college’s Watson Fine Arts Center. 

“You’ve seized the opportunity and made the most of it,” Chris Karcher, a co-presenter and vice-president of Consumer Strategy for Curtis C. Gunn, Inc. told the recipients. “We’re in it for the same thing, to give back a little bit to the people who put us where we are.” 

Recipients are Ben Birkenfeld; Trevor Bloch; Mark Calvillo; Victor Gonzales; Arturo Maldonado, Jr.; Jonathon Kade Reed; Dagoberto “Dag” Rodriguez; and Marco Antonio Tijerina—all automotive technology majors at St. Philip’s College. If they finish their course, each one gets a set of MATCO tools and a box. Roughly 99 percent of people who receive this Gunn scholarship earn their auto technology degree and work in the auto industry. 

Tijerina explained how he ended up on the stage as a scholarship recipient who gets tools if he succeeds academically. “My high school teacher told me about the program. I applied and the tools are great. I’ll use the meter they gave me to find out anything electrical. My goal is to own my own shop.” 

From the college’s stage, Karcher said, “Marco is a 17-year-old whose essay reminded me of what Martin Luther King said, and that’s whatever you do, be the best. We look forward to this young man getting along and taking care of business.”