NASCAR Chevrolet Diversity Scholarship Honors Innovators
Four Students Awarded $20,000 in Total Scholarships; Treated to VIP Race Experience at the Texas Motor Speedway
Daytona, Beach, Fla. (Nov. 5, 2017) – Four students were recognized for their accomplishment in technology and innovation as NASCAR and Chevrolet announced the winners of the third annual NASCAR Chevrolet Diversity Scholarship Contest Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.
Four undergraduate students from across the country were awarded a total of $20,000 in scholarships and treated to a VIP experience at Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Sprint Cup race, the AAA Texas 500. The winners were recognized in a press conference prior to the race.
The contest challenged students to identify a technology or innovation within NASCAR, then explain how Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) professionals came to its design in 90-second videos. Video submissions were judged on technical accuracy, creativity and production quality.
Cindy Yen, a sophomore at the University of Southern California, from Santa Monica, California, earned first place and a $10,000 scholarship.
University of Notre Dame freshman Weston Dell, from Frankfort, Illinois, won $5,000. University of Houston student Nima Desai from Houston, Texas, and Broward College freshman Nicole Forero, from Coral Springs, Florida, were awarded third and fourth place, respectively, earning $2,500 scholarships each.
“NASCAR is proud to work with Chevrolet and continue our longstanding commitment to STEM education by recognizing these tremendous students,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “These four students were recognized from an outstanding pool of candidates, and it’s a testament to the continued engagement of students in the pursuit of science and technology careers in our sport.”
“It’s an exciting time in the STEM field with the advancement of technology,” said Ken Barrett, chief diversity officer for General Motors. “At GM, we celebrate unique perspectives propelled by diversity and champion innovative ideas; Ideas that change the automotive industry and the world.”
Before taking in the AAA Texas 500, the students had the chance to meet with 2017 NASCAR playoff drivers Jamie McMurray of Chip Ganassi Racing and Ryan Newman with Richard Childress Racing. Newman graduated from Purdue University with an engineering degree. The VIP experience also included pace car rides, garage and pit road tour, and a meet-and-greet with Chevrolet’s Monster Energy NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Program Manager Alba Colon.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
Sources: Pete Stuart/NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications