(Marietta, Ga. – March 30, 2015) Their scholarships are not coming in the form of giant checks, but that doesn’t mean they won’t go to good use. Six Automotive Technology students from Chattahoochee Technical College were awarded with the Mike Peterson Memorial Scholarship – a complete tool kit for their new career path.
The tool kits are worth several thousands of dollars and consist of all the tools that a beginning automotive technician would need. According to Alan Peterson, who along with his wife Claire created the scholarship to honor their son, the family has now awarded more than $100,000 in tool kits to deserving Chattahoochee Technical College students.
“This is not just a tool set though,” said Chattahoochee Technical College President Dr. Ron Newcomb. “It is a gift from the Peterson family and a way to honor their son. They remember Mike every day, but this is a public display of that memory and the career he found through his studies at Chattahoochee Technical College.
The Petersons established this scholarship in memory of their son, Michael. Family and friends keep his memory alive by awarding tool sets to students who are passionate about careers in the automotive industry. The Petersons hold an annual golf tournament each fall to raise funds for the scholarship awards. This is the 11th year for the scholarships.
The winners of this year’s scholarship include six students from throughout the area:
- Riley Adams of Austell
- William Beasley of Dallas
- Jonathan Carroll of Ellijay
- Shawn Espe of Woodstock
- Christopher Pragovich of Kennesaw
- Joseph Whitmire of Canton
The qualifications for the scholarships include completion of at least one year of study in a Chattahoochee 
Technical College program and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students applying for the scholarships are asked to complete an application, including a written essay, and provide a letter of recommendation from a current faculty member of Chattahoochee Technical College.
“I hope that you will use these tool sets well,” Newcomb told the six recipients. “Use them to honor the memory of Mike Peterson and to help you build a successful career in the automotive industry.”
For more information on the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation, call 770-528-4522 or visit www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu/foundation.