Business View Magazine - May 2016 9
cruiting Services, Ryder. “We are excited to work
with the Universal Technical Institute Foundation in
making auto/diesel education more accessible to fe-
male applicants in need.”
Ryder’s $50,000 grant will help fund two programs.
First is a $30,000 donation specifically earmarked
to give female veterans priority to UTIF’s Veterans
at Work: Military Transition Fund program. This will
provide short-term funds to help veterans bridge the
gap between the time it takes for them to start their
technical education and for their veterans benefits
to take effect. Typically, veterans have a minimum
six to eight week lag before their housing assis-
tance begins, and the time between relocating and
starting in a school can often take a toll. This funding
enables veterans to get settled, start school, find a
part-time job, and get on their feet without having
to worry about the cash flow dilemma. Once estab-
lished, the veteran re-gifts the funds so that it can be
repurposed for the next veteran. Grants of between
$1,000 and $3,500 are made to qualifying veterans
who show proof of honorary service.
The remaining $20,000 donation will support UTIF’s
Women’s Technical “Strong Start” Awards cam-
paign, which leverages Ryder’s commitment to
women entering the auto/diesel field by earmark-
ing its contribution to provide Strong Start awards
specifically to female applicants committed to ob-
taining their technical auto/diesel degree from a UTI
campus. For students with great financial need, the
Strong Start awards assist them in closing the gap
between what they have saved and what they need
for a Strong Start in their technical education. Typi-
cally, students need between $1,500 and $3,000
cash saved in order to relocate, put down housing
and utility deposits, first month’s rent, and have
enough living expenses for the first 30 to 60 days of
school while they work to secure their part-time job.
“Ryder’s support of technician education, and par-
ticularly women in this field, is so greatly needed
and appreciated,” shared Jennifer Maher, CEO/Ex-
ecutive Director of UTIF. “Currently only 3% of our
students are female, and yet with the industry’s
great workforce demand, there are enormous op-
portunities for women to thrive in the transportation
industry. Ryder’s commitment to women, veterans
and technical education is exemplary.”
