The Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association announced the winners of its Fifth Annual Scholarship Awards for 2023 at their Annual Member Meeting. The event was held at the Tropicana in Atlantic City on Oct. 4.
The program was developed to promote higher education goals of GNJMA members and their families, whether they be a college degree or a trade certification. The program is supported by fundraising efforts, and this year, GNJMA held its annual golf outing on Oct. 3 to benefit the program.
The winners for 2023 are Angela Nicolau, nominated by Allied Member Motor Coach Industries Inc., and Karen Potter, nominated by Operator Member DATTCO Inc. Each will receive a check for $1,500 and a plaque.
Accepting on their behalf were Steve Weiss and Pam Martinez.
Eligibility rules
Those eligible for scholarships are full-time employees or the dependent children of full-time employees of Operator Member companies. Also eligible are the employees of Allied Member companies or the dependent children of the Allied Member companies.
To be eligible, an employee of a GNJMA member company must have been employed for at least one year by Jan. 1 in the year in which the scholarships are awarded and must be registered at a full-time college, professional school, or trade school in the previous fall or at the time of application. They must also hold a minimum GPA of 3.0 or, if in a professional school, the equivalent of a B grade.
Tim Stout, president of GNJMA, congratulated the winners and thanked the Scholarship Committee members for their volunteerism.
Wants accessibility in transportation
Recipient Angela Nicolau is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, with a secondary degree in environmental engineering.
She plans to find a career with a company that shares her desire to help people, especially those with physical limitations, to travel and see the world with convenience and simplicity.
“I want to grow within my career and industry in leadership, perhaps by owning a business that would advance women in this traditionally man’s field; and be an advocate for the improvement of travel and transportation so that all people be able to enjoy their life to the fullest,” Nicolau said.
“Pursuing my dreams would not be possible without your help, and I cannot thank you enough.”
Hopes to be court reporter
Scholarship recipient Karen Potter plans to graduate from Florida Atlantic Technical College and intern with a local court reporting agency.
“I will then work and train to pass my CSR and RPR so that I can work in any state. I trained to get my commercial driver’s license and became a bus driver so that I could support myself and my family while going to school. My career plans after graduation are to work as a court reporter in either a courthouse or work for a court reporting agency taking depositions,” she said.
The GNJMA is a group of leaders in the motorcoach, tour and travel industries that represent bus operators and owners in the northeast region. The association works with industry associations, local, state and federal agencies, legislators, vendors, attractions and destinations to promote the welfare of the motorcoach industry, their members, and their association.
It promotes safety in the motorcoach industry by sponsoring safety workshops for bus drivers, driver excellence award programs, inspection workshops, scholarship programs and professional awards.
