Applications accepted until May 1, 2013.

The NATSO Foundation is pleased to announce that for the first time in 20 years it is doubling the financial awards granted under the Bill Moon Scholarship, which helps truckstop and travel plaza owners and operators, their employees and their families further their education.

The NATSO Foundation will award five scholarships of $5,000 each in 2013 to deserving applicants. The NATSO Foundation currently is accepting applications for the 2013 Bill Moon Scholarship until May 1. All truckstop and travel plaza owners and operators, their employees and their families are eligible. Applicants are selected based on academic merit, financial need, community activities and a short essay.

NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings shared the board’s enthusiasm for this change. “The truckstop and travel plaza industry employs so many great individuals. We hope this change in the Bill Moon Scholarship will better reflect the cost of college education today, allowing truckstop and travel plaza employees and their families to take advantage of the scholarship program.”

In 2012, nine students received awards of $2,500 each to help them further their education. The 2012 winners were:

     Angela Etheridge; Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores; Oklahoma City, Okla.

    Jarod Lee; Pilot Travel Centers #430; Russellville, Ark.

    Caitlyn Milks; Loves Travel Stops; Oklahoma City, Okla.

    Austin Piehler; Willkomm’s Petro of Racine; Racine, Wis.

    Matthew Reed; Travel Centers of America; Westlake, Ohio

    Paige Reihm; Love’s Travel Stops; Oklahoma City, Okla.

    Logan Sloan; Iowa 80 Truck Stop; Walcott, Iowa

    Victoria Stavish; Muralt’s Travel Plaza; Missoula, Mont.

    Claire Wilson; Travel Centers of America; Westlake, Ohio

The 2012 scholarship recipients told the NATSO Foundation the scholarship was more meaningful coming from the truckstop and travel plaza industry. Claire Wilson learned about the scholarship from her father—a TravelCenters of America employee. Wilson, who will be studying engineering at Clemson University, said, “I know that my Dad works hard in the industry everyday, and I guarantee that I will also work hard while pursuing my college education.”

Since 1993, the Bill Moon Scholarship Program has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships. Each year, the NATSO Foundation holds fundraising events and accepts contributions from truckstop and travel plaza operators and industry suppliers to fund the scholarships.

The origins of the Bill Moon Scholarship Program can be traced to 1989, when the Mason-Dixon Truck Stop Operators Association made a $5,000 contribution for use in establishing an industry scholarship program. In 1993, the Northeast Truckstop Operators Association made a $5,000 contribution, and Carolyn Moon added an additional $10,000. The NATSO Foundation began awarding scholarships to industry employees and their families in 1993.