Sonic, a leading provider of professional-grade tool solutions and equipment, today announced the winners of its winter 2025 Impact Scholarship Program, the second round of the year’s scholarship season. The program honors outstanding students in automotive, aviation, and manufacturing technology programs who demonstrate the organization’s core PACE principles: passion, accountability, collaboration, and experience.
The company has chosen five deserving students from a nationwide applicant pool, with each recipient receiving a specially assembled collection of premium hand tools tailored to their specific discipline. Aviation students will receive Sonic’s 263-piece Intermediate Aviation Toolset with the S9 Toolbox, and the Automotive student will receive Sonic’s 255-piece Basic Automotive Toolset and S12 XD Toolbox to aid each respective student throughout their training and help them launch their professional technician careers.
Winter 2025 Scholarship Recipients:
Aviation Students:
- Maria Hoff – Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, from Maple Grove, MN.
- Trystan Daughtry – Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, OK, from Tulsa, OK.
- Trevor Hill – Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, from Walkertown, NC.
- Willburn Smith – University of Fairbanks in Fairbanks, AK, from Fairbanks, AK.
Automotive Student:
- Michael Debenedetto – Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Irving, TX, from Hewitt, NJ.
“This group of five talented students exemplifies the next generation of skilled trade professionals. Every recipient has shown outstanding academic performance alongside a dedication to the PACE principles that define excellence in the automotive and aviation fields,” said Colby McConnell, CEO of Sonic USA. “By equipping them with professional-grade tools, we’re enabling them to concentrate on mastering their craft without the financial stress of purchasing the required hand tools.”
Meeting Workforce Demands
Sonic’s scholarship initiative addresses the expanding technician workforce gap throughout automotive, aviation, and manufacturing sectors. According to TechForce’s 2024 Supply & Demand Report, the automotive industry alone needs nearly one million new-entry technicians to eliminate the gap. Sonic acknowledges that qualified technicians play a vital role in maintaining essential infrastructure and making meaningful contributions within their communities and industries.
Spring Impact Scholarship Program
Sonic’s biannual Impact Scholarship Program will recommence in January 2026 and name the next five recipients in June. Students will be required to provide proof of enrollment, a recommendation letter from an instructor, a 500-word essay explaining how they embody the PACE values and aim to create meaningful impact, and a short video outlining how Sonic Tools will support their professional development and career aspirations. Applications for the Spring cycle close in May 2026.
Additional details about the Sonic Impact Scholarship are available at http://www.sonictoolsusa.com/scholarship/.