The Drive It Forward scholarship is in honor of Sheila Castaneda, a key member of the Centerline Drivers’ leadership team and a proponent of promoting opportunities for women in trucking. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to one woman every year who is entering a CDL program to pursue a career as a commercial driver.

ELIGIBILITY

In order to be considered eligible for the Drive it Forward Scholarship, the candidate must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Must be at least 21 years of age at the date of commencement of CDL program.
2. Must be a female interested in trucking.
3. Must have submitted an admission application to a qualified CDL program.
4. Must meet all the CDL program admission criteria at the time of application as outlined by the institution.
5. Must be new to the trucking industry and not have held a CDL license previously.
6. Must not be a current and/or former corporate employee of Centerline Drivers; TrueBlue, its parent company; and/or any other TrueBlue affiliates.
7. Must agree to, and pass, a background check (similar to background checks required for future employment as CDL driver).
8. Must submit a scholarship application including a professional reference and a personal essay (more details below).

* The Drive it Forward Scholarship will only cover the cost of tuition only for a qualified CDL program (maximum amount of tuition covered will be limited to $7,500).

HOW TO APPLY

This scholarship is offered to one individual annually with the following application cycle.

Please reference the application/award schedule below:

Please ensure you have met and/or satisfied all eligibility requirements for this scholarship prior to completing this online application. The application additionally requires submission of a professional reference, work history, and a written essay on why you should receive the scholarship, not to exceed 500 words, that also covers the following:

• Describe why you are interested in the trucking industry.
• Discuss any past hardships or circumstances in your life that prevented the continuance of your education/career.
• Describe any financial need.
• Educational background.
• Your current circumstances and ability to commence a CDL program.
• Describe your ability/willingness to be away from home for extended periods of time as often required by this industry.
• Describe your ability to manage your time and work independently.

* Failure to submit all required items could result in disqualification of the applicant.

SELECTION CRITERIA

It remains the intention of the Drive it Forward Scholarship Program to assist individuals who may have had hardships or circumstances that have prevented their pursuit of a CDL license. Therefore, identifying successful applicants will be based primarily on need, content of the essay, and references. The Scholarship Committee will review all applications for satisfaction of eligibility and submission requirements before considering the candidate’s individual circumstances or qualifications for the award. The Scholarship Committee will be reviewing all applicants and will choose the winner at their discretion. The Scholarship Committee’s decision will be final in all matters

Upon a scholarship award, the recipient will be required to provide confirmation of admissions into a CDL program and the tuition cost. The Scholarship Committee will verify the current tuition amount of CDL program and recipient’s admission documentation. Payment of scholarship funds will be made directly to recipient’s selected CDL program and not to recipient. Any tuition amount and/or program fees above $7,500 shall be the responsibility of the scholarship recipient. No direct payments will be made to the scholarship recipient.