THE JESSI COMBS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2021 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS.

Seven Scholarships, totaling $35K, awarded to women pursuing careers in the trades

MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA (December 3, 2021) –The Jessi Combs Foundation (JCF) is honored to announce the winners of The Jessi Combs Foundation Scholarship program for 2021. In total $35,000 worth of scholarships have been awarded to the following women:

• Victoria Bruno – McPherson College – Automotive Restoration Technology
• Kate Martin – Wyotech (Laramie Campus) – Automotive and Street Rod
• Taylor Keller – Pennsylvania College Of Technology – Welding and Fabrication Engineering Technology
• Elisabeth Artz – Frederick Community College – Custom Fabrication and Welding
• Jaclyn Edison – University of Texas at Dallas – Automotive Engineering
• Zoe Carmichael – McPherson College – Automotive Restoration
• Raquel Salinas – Mainliners Welding Academy – Pipe Welding

“There is not enough time in this life to permit trivial stereotypes to prevent you from achieving your goals.” said Victoria Bruno, 2021 JCF Scholarship recipient. “The Jessi Combs Foundation shares this same principle, which is why I am incredibly grateful to have been welcomed by such a community. To any female who has ever thought twice about entering the industry, know you will have a well-deserved place here.”

Jessi was a trailblazer and a stereo-type breaker driven to succeed while lifting people up, particularly women, throughout her career. The JCF scholarship selection committee recognized similar characteristics in these women and are excited to see them succeed while carrying Jessi’s legacy forward. The Foundation also leverages their extensive network of industry contacts to help scholarship recipients with the introductions designed to kick-start their first opportunity in the trades industry.

“On behalf of my family, we are so privileged to witness The Jessi Combs Foundation Scholarship family continue to grow” said Kelly Combs, Board Member and brother of Jessi Combs.  “Creating an uplifting environment for women was a core value of Jessi’s, and we could not be prouder of the passionate group dedicated to keeping her mission alive.  The scholarship program is an amazing conduit to build a supportive community for women in the trades, and we congratulate this year’s recipients.  Welcome to the family!”

The mission of The Jessi Combs Foundation is to Educate, Inspire, and Empower the next generation of trailblazing and stereotype-breaking women. The long-term vision for the Jessi Combs Foundation is to execute this mission via three pillars:

• Educate: Trades were important to Jessi, the very vehicle that provided so many opportunities to her. JCF will distribute individual scholarships and in-kind partner donations to educational institutions and learning centers to continually be a driving force behind the next generation of women in trades. Additionally, JCF plans to support live event workshops that keep alive the one-on-one interactions that Jessi loved so much.
• Inspire: This will come to life via in-house projects as the foundation looks to continually set new bars and use our voice to shine light and recognition on those whose achievements, talents and accomplishments inspire others.
• Empower: Grants and Sponsorships will be the primary tools to support those women with a dream of achieving their own level of greatness and that aligns with the barrier smashing attitude Jessi embodied.

Those interested in learning more about the JCF, supporting the foundation or partnering with us are encouraged to reach out via the contact section on our website: www.thejessicombsfoundation.com. All donations raised will go to The Jessi Combs Foundation and will be used in compliance with the official purpose of the organization.