MARS announces scholarship winners and 2024 winter meeting dates

The Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) recently awarded scholarships to 21 college students during its summer meeting.

"Our June Summer Meeting in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin was a success with nearly 500 registrants, and well-attended, lively sessions," said MARS President Kathy Bathurst. "More than half of our guests participated in the annual golf outing which raised significant funding for our ongoing scholarship program."

The 2023 scholarship winners were selected based on their academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community involvement, and commitment to the programs in which they are enrolled. The award is open to children and grandchildren of MARS members. Recipients of the MARS scholarships are:

Craig Longardner Scholarship Award

George Counts, Bowling Green State University

Bernard J. Thomas Honorary Scholarship Award

Madison Pixler, University of Notre Dame

MARS Scholarship Awardees

Ella Chambers, University of Illinois - UC

Ryan Barth, Florida Polytechnic

Elise Blinn, University of Illinois - Springfield

Madison Plowman, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Kylee Moore, Baylor University

Leah Wilson, Iowa State University

Katelyn Barth, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Garrett Jackson, Saint Mary’s University

Audrey Boudreau, Parkland Community College

Katelyn Kazakevicius, Purdue University NW

Kristen Murray, Purdue University

Greyson Fout, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Jack Bell, University of Kentucky

Liam Corcoran, Eastern Illinois University

William Jenkins, Mississippi State University

Gracie O’Neill, University of Georgia

Henry Bell, University of Kentucky

Erik Kremer, Prospect High School

Nicholas Keck, University of Toledo

The Executive Board has already started to plan for the next MARS Winter Meeting. It is scheduled for January 9–11, 2024 at the Westin Chicago Lombard. Hotel reservations at the MARS rate are now available online.