Arkansas Trucking Association

Carl Tapp Technician Scholarship

The mission of the Arkansas Trucking Association is to protect, promote and serve the collective interests of the trucking industry in Arkansas. The ATA Maintenance & Technology Council exists to focus on these specific areas of the industry. Carl Tapp was a founding member and the first chairman of the Council.

To continue Carl’s legacy of empowering the next generation of technicians, it is our intent to provide assistance for young, bright minds to pursue a path to success in our industry, an industry that has certainly provided those successes for all of us. It is because of his passion and commitment to our industry and its technicians that the Carl Tapp Technician Scholarship Fund was created in 2017.

The Carl Tapp Technician Scholarship Program supports aspiring techs in their education and certification pursuits at Arkansas institutions that produce workforce-prepared diesel technicians.

Click here for a list of additional Funding Opportunities for Arkansas Diesel Tech Programs.

2023 Scholarship Application

The 2023 Carl Tapp Technician Scholarship applications are now open. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2023.

Apply Now

Meet the 2022 Recipients

2022 recipients:

• Will Wade – enrolled to attend ASU Beebe, Searcy campus
• Cole Goodeaux – enrolled to attend ASU Beebe, Searcy campus
• Colton Bell – employed by Distribution Solutions, Inc. and enrolled to attend Northwest Technical Institute

Past Recipients

2021 recipients:

• Caiden Sallee – attended Northwest Technical Institute
• Ricky Watkins – attending Northwest Technical Institute and working PT at TLG Peterbilt
• Channlyn Vaughn – employed by Legacy Equipment

2020 recipient:

• Mac McConnell – employed by McConnell & So

2019 recipient:

• Ryan McKnight – employed by McKnight's Emergency Wrecker Service & Equipment Hauling

2018 recipients:

• Colt Dickard – employed by Rush Truck Centers
• Konner Hodges – employed by McKee Foods Transportation

FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT

$88,540 Donations Received to Date

$75,000 Awards in Scholarships

Donors: Click Here to Donate to the Scholarship Fund

THANK YOU TO OUR CARL TAPP MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND DONORS

Your support makes it possible to continue Mr. Tapp’s legacy of empowering the next generation of technicians. We began this scholarship fund to financially support students preparing to enter the future workforce, and it is our goal to identify and encourage as many possible to share our passion for trucking.

ATA President Shannon Newton presents 2019 Carl Tapp Memorial Scholarship recipient Ryan McKnight and his mom and dad with the $7,500 check for his education in diesel technology with scholarship founder Kenneth Calhoun

___________________NEWS_________________

February 16, 2022 - Arkansas Trucking Association accepting applications for Technician Scholarship 2022

May 26, 2021 - Three Arkansas seniors to receive scholarships from Arkansas Trucking Association

February 4, 2021 - Arkansas Trucking Association accepting scholarship applications for 2021

July  28, 2020 - Arkansas Trucking Association announces 2020 technician scholarship recipients

January 8, 2020 - Arkansas Trucking Association accepting scholarship applications for 2020 Carl Tapp Technician Scholarship

May 1, 2019 - Arkansas Trucking Association announces 2019 technician scholarship recipients

January 28, 2019 - Arkansas Trucking Association announces scholarship for Arkansas technician students

May 8, 2018 - Arkansas Trucking Association announces technician scholarship recipients

Janary 25, 2018 - Arkansas Trucking Association announces new scholarship for Arkansas technician students

There are many ways to help us take a positive step toward reversing the shortage of technicians in the Arkansas trucking industry.

Please let me know if you would be interested in joining us in this effort. For more information or if you have questions, please email me at sarahnewman@arkansastrucking.com or call 501.372.3462.