LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Two graduating Arkansas seniors have been selected to receive scholarships from the Arkansas Trucking Association. Bass Burroughs of Mt. Vernon, Ark., and William Warren of Floral, Ark., are both planning to attend Arkansas State University – Beebe, Searcy campus this fall to pursue careers in medium/heavy duty truck technology. Each of the students will receive a $7,500 scholarship from the Carl Tapp Memorial Scholarship Fund to aid in their education and training.
“Trucking is at the forefront of many evolving technologies like autonomous vehicles and collision-mitigation systems. It is critical that we continue to recruit new talent who can not only keep our trucks moving safely down the road, but also equip us for what’s next,” said Shannon Newton, president, Arkansas Trucking Association. “I am honored to welcome Bass and William to our industry and look forward to watching them lead us into the future. Our industry is over a century old, but what we do and what we deliver today is still as relevant as it was a hundred years ago.”
Bass Burroughs graduated from Mt. Vernon-Enola High School in Mt. Vernon, Ark. in May. While in high school, he participated in a concurrent enrollment at ASU-Beebe, Searcy campus and began earning credits in their diesel technician program. He was also involved in baseball and FFA, and enjoys hunting and fishing in his free time.
Burroughs plans to continue his education at ASU-Beebe, Searcy this fall.
Like Burroughs, William Warren began concurrent courses in the ASU-Beebe, Searcy campus diesel technician program while enrolled in high school. A Floral, Ark. native, Warren graduated in May from Pangburn High School and will continue to pursue a degree this fall. While in high school, Warren played basketball and worked as a server at Pizza Hut.
“Since we created the fund to honor Carl Tapp’s memory, we have been able to provide $90,000 in scholarships to 12 students interested in joining our field,” said Kenneth Calhoun, founding member of the scholarship committee. “Bass and William were selected from a competitive candidate pool and have already demonstrated a commitment to and knack for maintenance and technology. The caliber of this year’s recipients and those who preceded them gives me great confidence in the future of the trucking industry.”
The Arkansas Trucking Association’s Maintenance & Technology Council established the Carl Tapp Memorial Scholarship Fund to celebrate Carl Tapp, the council’s first chairman, and his career-long commitment to nurturing new talent in the industry. The Fund is intended to enable and encourage growth in the state’s diesel technician workforce and to help assure that the safest, most knowledgeable and skilled technicians are working on the trucks and trailers on our nation’s roads. Candidates were evaluated based upon their interest and performance in STEM courses, teacher and mentor recommendations and personal interviews with the scholarship committee of industry experts.
These scholarships have been made possible by the vision and investment in the future of trucking in Arkansas by the following companies and individuals: ABF Freight, ArcBest, Bruce Purkey, DAVCO Technology, Doggett Freightliner of Arkansas, FleetNet America, Hoover Family, Inland PacLease, JM Bozeman Enterprises, Kenneth Calhoun, Kudos Research, Maverick Transportation, McConnell & Son, McKee Foods Transportation, MHC Kenworth Leasing, Momentum Fuel Technologies, NorCal PacLease, PACCAR, PACCAR Leasing Company, PacLease Dallas, Pressure Systems International, Rush Truck Centers, Southland PacLease, TechForce Foundation, The Tapp Family, TLG Peterbilt, Truck-Lite Co., University of Central Arkansas and Walt Luethy. For more information about the Scholarship Fund, visit www.arkansastrucking.com/tech-scholarship.
