BETHESDA Md. -- The Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium Scholarship Committee announced Spencer Hitchcock, Hays, is a recipient of a 2012 GAAS scholarship funded by a grant from the University of the Aftermarket Foundation.

Hitchcock will attend the School of Automotive Machinists, Houston.

GAAS is an annual symposium in which the automotive aftermarket industry comes together to hear top industry figures present their points of view about the trends taking place today and in the next five years.

GAAS scholarships, each in the amount of $1,000, were awarded to 98 students in 2012.

To be eligible for a GAAS scholarship, applicants must be enrolled full-time in a college level program or an ASE/NATEF-certified automotive technical program.

The GAAS scholarship is also unique in that recipients who graduate from their program and show proof of employment as a technician in the automotive aftermarket for at least six months after graduation can receive a second matching award.

GAAS scholarship applications for 2013 will be online at www.automotivescholarships.com beginning in September.

The deadline for submitting 2013 scholarship applications is March 31.

For more information, visit www.globalsymposium.org.