The J.B. Hunt Scholarship Program for Families, announced to the public on Oct.11, will provide scholarship opportunities to the relatives of its employees, as reported by Freightwaves.com. It is supported by Scholarship America which aids the fundraising and management of scholarship programs.
The J.B. Hunt scholarship program is exclusively accessible to the dependents and grandchildren of J.B. Hunt employees. There are eligibility requirements incumbent in the application process including that the applicant must be a part of either a two or four-year college program, a vocational school, or a trade program. Applicants also must be full-time students who have earned a GPA of 2.5 or higher. The scholarship can support a student for several years, with renewal possibility expiring after four years.
J.B. Hunt sees the program as a way to enrich the lives of their employees and families, as well as their larger community, said Brad Hicks, president of highway services and J.B. Hunt’s executive vice president of people.
“Leading this program is one of the many ways J.B. Hunt is working to give back to our communities,” Hicks said. “The innovative ideas that will transform the world are with the students of today and we want to ensure they have the opportunity to learn, grow and reach their full potential.”
The scholarship is already touching the lives of J.B. Hunt families, with the first 100 recipients being announced alongside the scholarship itself. Alyssa Louise Geonanga and Hugh Ferguson are two of that 100.
Geonanga is currently studying supply chain processes. She feels as though the scholarship, which awarded a total of $250,000 in its first year, will allow her to give back to her community, mirroring the intention of the scholarship.
“J.B. Hunt truly values its people and provides them and their families with the necessary resources to succeed,” she said. “I am deeply honored to have been a recipient of the J.B. Hunt Scholarships for Families. It has allowed me to continue my education, make an impact in my community and has given me the motivation to persevere and the confidence to succeed.”
Hugh Ferguson’s dad, Chris, said the scholarship will allow his son to give back – in a unique way. As a child, Hugh was diagnosed with a heart condition called supraventricular tachycardia. The condition causes an accelerated heart rate that can reach up to 100 beats per minute while resting, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Hugh wants to find a cure to the condition; the scholarship will help him do just that.
“The gift from J.B. Hunt will allow my son, Hugh, to complete his education and become a pediatric cardiologist, a profession near and dear to his heart, quite literally,” Chris said.
