Anson “AJ” Wright, a Northwood University graduate, has been awarded AFIP’s $2,000 Jakob Murray Lange Memorial scholarship.
Wright graduated in May 2022 with a degree in automotive marketing and management. The AFIP award recognizes his exemplary work during his internship with Courtesy Motors in Danville, Illinois. It comes with an engraved crystal obelisk honoring his achievement.
As part of his internship, Wright attended the Chrysler Capital and Santander Consumer USA National Sales Meeting in Dallas. His internship at Courtesy Motors was part of the Chrysler Minority Dealers Association (CMDA) Internship Program. Courtesy Motors, a new and used Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram dealership, is one of four dealerships nationally that hosted CMDA interns.
Attending Northwood University was a natural progression in Wright’s career path. His father owned a used car dealership and Wright expected to follow his lead. Next year, Wright plans to attend a one-year graduate program in business administration at Northwood University before entering the workforce.
This is the 10th year AFIP has awarded the scholarship, which honors an AFIP staff member, Jakob Murray Lange, who died in a car accident in 2013. A plaque recognizing the scholarship recipients is on display in the NADA building on the Northwood University campus.
According to AFIP Chairman Dave Robertson, “At a time when liberal arts education was in vogue, Drs. Stauffer and Turner implemented a curriculum that spoke directly to the essence of a college education – a mastery of the fundamental skills required to gain entry in the student’s chosen field of endeavor.
“There is a unique sense of camaraderie among the Northwood grads we encounter in our dealer-client stores typical of what is found among Ivy League school alumni,” he added. “And, on a personal level, an exuberance that comes from knowing they are exactly where they want to be.”
The AFIP scholarship recipient is selected each year by a Northwood automotive marketing and management department committee. “Internships have been essential in preparing our students for automotive management careers for many years,” said Elgie Bright, department chair. “In-store experience is key to our students’ success as they move from the classroom to the dealership. The AFIP scholarship supports students in their career paths and boosts interest in internship opportunities.”
For more information about Northwood University’s Automotive Marketing & Management program, visit www.northwood.edu.
For more information about AFIP, visit www.afip.com.
