The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) awarded $1,000 scholarships to three deserving high school seniors to attend the college of their choice this fall. Alan Hansel will attend Temple University; Macy Lott will attend East Central Community College; and Lauren Osias will attend the University of Kentucky.
As North America’s leading commercial motor vehicle safety organization, CVSA’s annual scholarship award program is a key component of the Alliance’s outreach initiatives. The scholarship award program is competitive in its selection criteria, uniquely tailored to recognize outstanding high school seniors. Scholarship recipients are selected by weighing a combination of strong academic performance, volunteer work and extracurricular activities.
“CVSA has been awarding college scholarships to exceptional high school seniors for the past 19 years,” said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner with the Kansas Highway Patrol. “Being able to consistently sustain that legacy, supporting soon-to-be college students’ academic endeavors, is something I’m proud to be a part of as the Alliance’s president. I have no doubt that the three individuals receiving this year’s college scholarship awards will continue their exceptional high school performance into college and well beyond into their chosen careers.”
[callout template=”cvsacallout1″]
Alan Hansel
[/callout]
Our first college scholarship recipient, Alan Hansel was accepted to Temple University’s College of Public Health. Alan’s father, Nicholas Hansel is a retired police officer, MCSAP inspector and crash reconstructionist, and currently is vice president of safety at A&S Services Group LLC.
Alan wants to pursue a career in the medical field, driven by his uncle’s experience. In August 1988, Alan’s uncle Luke was riding his bike with a friend and was struck by a truck that swerved to avoid hitting the friend. Luke sustained a traumatic brain injury that left him in a coma for six weeks, followed by six months of rehabilitation and he still has medical challenges today.
“After getting to know my uncle and all of his challenges, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field,” said Alan. “The accident gave me a different view on life. It made me realize that you cannot take anything for granted. It made me realize that you have to appreciate everything you have because you never know when it’s going to be taken from you. It made me thankful for all of the doctors and nurses out there because they saved not only my uncle, but our family.”
During Alan’s high school years, in addition to his outstanding scholastic abilities, he participated in at least one sport in every season for all four years of high school; that’s football, basketball, baseball and golf. Alan is also a member of the National Honor Society and Student Leadership Council.
“Alan’s values and personal characteristics are highly commendable,” said Jeffrey D. Stover, mathematics teacher and department head at Dover Area High School. “He is engaging and he is the type of student all teachers wish to have in class. Descriptions such as hard working, dedicated and conscientious are often used in connection with Alan.”
[callout template=”cvsacallout1″]
Macy Lott
[/callout]
The second person to receive CVSA’s college scholarship award, Macy Lott will attend East Central Community College. She is the daughter of Matthew Clayton Lott of the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
Macy plans to pursue a career in speech pathology to help adults and others with special needs. She discovered the special place she has in her heart for people with special needs while on a youth group mission trip in Nashville, Tennessee, to a local daycare for men and women with special needs.
“They love to be happy,” said Macy of her experience in Nashville. “Their smiles are contagious, so smiling back at them comes without saying. I want to be able to make a difference in people’s lives in any way that God would allow.”
Macy volunteered many hours of community service with the First Baptist Church Youth Group and has traveled to Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Haiti as part of mission teams. She also frequently visits local nursing homes to sing for the residents. Macy is a cheerleader, and a member of the Beta Club, the softball and basketball teams and the UHS Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was also selected to represent her school at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference.
“Although Macy’s athletic and academic successes are certainly impressive, it is her heart that is her greatest asset,” said Union Elementary School Principal Deanna Bankston Rush. “Macy demonstrates compassion for others every day of her life. She often reaches out to the less popular, less confident students in our school to encourage them. She can often be seen eating lunch with such students or stopping to give a hug to an elementary student in the hallway. She has a welcoming spirit that makes everyone feel important.”
[callout template=”cvsacallout1″]
Lauren Osias
[/callout]
The third and final college scholarship recipient is Lauren Osias, stepdaughter of Ofr. David Rose of the St. Louis County Police Department. Lauren will attend the University of Kentucky and plans to pursue a career in the medical field.
“As a child, having both of my parents work in the medical field impacted what I wanted to be when I grew up,” said Lauren. “Combining my love for community service projects with my passion for the medical field solidified my goal to someday become a physician. I have dedicated a large portion of my life so far to reaching that goal and will continue working toward it.”
“The opportunity to improve the well-being of others and the ability to make a difference in someone’s life is what makes the thought of being a doctor so exciting to me and it’s what drives me to want to reach my full potential in this field,” she continued.
Lauren was the Science Student of the Month, Math Student of the Month, and a member of the National Honor Society and the Student Council at her high school. The school’s principal selected Lauren as the Renaissance Gold Standard Award student for 2017. That award is given by a school staff member to one student each year who excels in academics and excellence in character.
In pursuit of her medical dream, Lauren also “shadowed” pediatrician Dr. Christy Hrach at BJC St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Emergency Department physician Dr. Tammy Martin at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, an Emergency Department nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital, and radiologists and MRI technicians at the Radiology Department of Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital. Lauren also took part in Adventures in Medical and Surgical Procedures at St. Louis University where students experienced discussions and hands-on simulations on a variety of medical topics and procedures.
“Lauren possesses a strong work ethic that maximizes her natural abilities,” said Andrew Ribbing, science teacher at Eureka High School. “Her desire to succeed and surpass expectations is unmatched. Lauren immediately gains the respect of those she meets by the way she conducts herself.”
The CVSA College Scholarship Award Program is dedicated to Gary E. Curtis. While working for the Virginia State Police, Curtis was an active member of CVSA and a cornerstone in the development of the roadside North American Standard Inspection Program. He came to CVSA in 1992, faithfully serving as the Alliance’s director of technical services. His efforts and contributions helped form the solid base upon which CVSA now proudly stands. Curtis lost his life to cancer in December 1998.
All recipients have been notified of their selection as award winners. CVSA was able to award the scholarships thanks, in part, to a generous donation by Smart Safety Services LLC, a family-owned safety consulting firm specializing in U.S. Department of Transportation and Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations pertaining to the trucking industry.
Information about the 2019 scholarship program will be announced in early 2019.