Dick Hannah Dealerships Supports Summer Scholarships at WSU Vancouver
Vancouver, WA, April 30, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Dick Hannah Dealerships is on a mission to make a difference in Southwest Washington. One thing that’s making a difference is a $67,000 gift that will provide scholarships to 10 Mobile Technology Research Fellows in the creative media and digital culture program at Washington State University Vancouver. The students will participate in the Mobile Tech Research Initiative this summer.
MTRI will take top-of-the-line students into two summer sessions where they will take advantage of existing curriculum to learn interface design, information architecture, coding, programming and multimedia production. All of their hands-on class work will center on building a mobile application as a team. By the end of the summer, the students will present a final product: a mobile app that Dick Hannah Dealerships can share with its customers.
“There has been a significant shift in the communication channels between car shoppers and our dealerships. Consumers today rely on getting more information through websites, email and mobile devices as they interact with our stores for parts, sales and services. As local businesses like ours ramp up our technology departments, we are looking to hire more people with high-level digital skills. We are thrilled to be a supporter of the WSU Vancouver creative media and digital culture program,” said Dick Hannah, president, Dick Hannah Dealerships.
Next fall the 10 Mobile Technology Research Fellows will intern for Dick Hannah Dealerships at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry where they will be creating an interactive installation that explores how technology influences automobile design, function and efficiency.
Dick Hannah Dealerships’ gift to higher education was in the works long before Rep. Tim Probst, D-Vancouver, announced the private-public “Opportunity Scholarships” last week. These scholarships would partially offset soaring tuition at state colleges and universities. Backed by Microsoft, Boeing and the Seattle-based College Success Foundation, the Opportunity Scholarships would be financed initially with $20 million in privately raised funds and matched dollar-for-dollar by the state.
“Dick Hannah Dealerships is providing a local solution to supporting higher education during a time of great need,” said Dene Grigar, director of the CMDC program.
“This is such a wonderful gift because financial aid isn’t available to students for summer sessions. Dick Hannah Dealerships’ gift will allow students to continue taking classes instead of having to pause over the summer. And the MTRI will provide the students with valuable hands-on experience that will prepare them for a growing industry,” said Jennifer Crooks, director of development and alumni relations at WSU Vancouver.
Family owned since 1949, Dick Hannah Dealerships is dedicated to providing excellent customer service, maintaining a positive and productive work environment, and conducting business in a way that promotes the highest principles of integrity and ethical behavior. Dick Hannah Dealerships features franchise auto dealers selling both new cars and used cars through their Acura, Chrysler‐Jeep‐Dodge‐Ram, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Toyota‐Scion and Volkswagen Dealerships.
As the largest privately owned auto dealer company in the state of Washington, Dick Hannah Dealerships is also setting the standard for environmental best practices for automobile dealerships. Teaming up with the National Arbor Day Foundation, Dick Hannah Dealerships plants a tree with every car they sell. Now, more than 50,000 trees have been planted. The Dick Hannah Dealerships Collision Center recently converted to an all new, environmentally sound painting system. To learn more visit www.dickhannah.com.
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Contacts
· Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu
· Jennifer Crooks, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, 360-546-9604, crooks@vancouver.wsu.edu
· Dene Grigar, Creative Media & Digital Culture, 360-546-9487, dgrigar@vancouver.wsu.edu
MTRI will take top-of-the-line students into two summer sessions where they will take advantage of existing curriculum to learn interface design, information architecture, coding, programming and multimedia production. All of their hands-on class work will center on building a mobile application as a team. By the end of the summer, the students will present a final product: a mobile app that Dick Hannah Dealerships can share with its customers.
“There has been a significant shift in the communication channels between car shoppers and our dealerships. Consumers today rely on getting more information through websites, email and mobile devices as they interact with our stores for parts, sales and services. As local businesses like ours ramp up our technology departments, we are looking to hire more people with high-level digital skills. We are thrilled to be a supporter of the WSU Vancouver creative media and digital culture program,” said Dick Hannah, president, Dick Hannah Dealerships.
Next fall the 10 Mobile Technology Research Fellows will intern for Dick Hannah Dealerships at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry where they will be creating an interactive installation that explores how technology influences automobile design, function and efficiency.
Dick Hannah Dealerships’ gift to higher education was in the works long before Rep. Tim Probst, D-Vancouver, announced the private-public “Opportunity Scholarships” last week. These scholarships would partially offset soaring tuition at state colleges and universities. Backed by Microsoft, Boeing and the Seattle-based College Success Foundation, the Opportunity Scholarships would be financed initially with $20 million in privately raised funds and matched dollar-for-dollar by the state.
“Dick Hannah Dealerships is providing a local solution to supporting higher education during a time of great need,” said Dene Grigar, director of the CMDC program.
“This is such a wonderful gift because financial aid isn’t available to students for summer sessions. Dick Hannah Dealerships’ gift will allow students to continue taking classes instead of having to pause over the summer. And the MTRI will provide the students with valuable hands-on experience that will prepare them for a growing industry,” said Jennifer Crooks, director of development and alumni relations at WSU Vancouver.
Family owned since 1949, Dick Hannah Dealerships is dedicated to providing excellent customer service, maintaining a positive and productive work environment, and conducting business in a way that promotes the highest principles of integrity and ethical behavior. Dick Hannah Dealerships features franchise auto dealers selling both new cars and used cars through their Acura, Chrysler‐Jeep‐Dodge‐Ram, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Toyota‐Scion and Volkswagen Dealerships.
As the largest privately owned auto dealer company in the state of Washington, Dick Hannah Dealerships is also setting the standard for environmental best practices for automobile dealerships. Teaming up with the National Arbor Day Foundation, Dick Hannah Dealerships plants a tree with every car they sell. Now, more than 50,000 trees have been planted. The Dick Hannah Dealerships Collision Center recently converted to an all new, environmentally sound painting system. To learn more visit www.dickhannah.com.
###
Contacts
· Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu
· Jennifer Crooks, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, 360-546-9604, crooks@vancouver.wsu.edu
· Dene Grigar, Creative Media & Digital Culture, 360-546-9487, dgrigar@vancouver.wsu.edu
Contact
Dick Hannah Dealerships
Sonja Stevenson
360-944-3243
www.dickhannah.com
Sonja Stevenson
360-944-3243
www.dickhannah.com
Contact
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