Mentorship Award Presented at College Commencement

Pennsylvania College of Technology presented a Mentorship Awardon Saturdayto Central Atlantic Toyota Distributors and Ralph A. Collins III.

The award, which recognizes alumni and businesses that have made significant and/or ongoing contributions to the education and development of Penn College students, was presented during a Summer Commencement ceremony at the Community Arts Center in Williamsport.

The Glen Burnie, Md.-based Central Atlantic Toyota Distributors was the driving force in 1989 behind the academic partnership between Penn College and Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc.

At Penn College, Central Atlantic Toyota Distributors and Collins have been responsible for the John Winkles Memorial Scholarship Fund for students in the automotive technology/Toyota major; ongoing sponsorship support for the Spring Golf Classic fund-raising event; the formation of a Toyota advisory committee (Collins has been a member throughout its 17-year history); training for Penn College faculty; student internships; training aids, curriculum assistance and numerous vehicle donations; registration of graduates for Toyota course credit; assistance in securing NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) certification and re-certification; instructors and sponsors for NACAT (North American Council of Automotive Teachers) ’98; and support for the establishment of the T-TEN (Toyota Technical Educational Network) collision repair program at Penn College.

Collins, who has been employed by Central Atlantic Toyota Distributors since 1968, retired on Aug. 4 as technical service manager, a position in which he oversaw technical support and training for more than 1,300 Toyota dealership technicians in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Collins serves on advisory committees for numerous AYES (Automotive Youth Educational Systems) certified technical high schools, as well as the boards for the Toyota T-TEN programs at the Community College of Baltimore County, Camden County Community College, Tidewater Community College and Penn College.

He is a charter member of the T-TEN National Advisory Board, a member of the Toyota Technical Training Advisory Board, and a past president and board member of the Baltimore Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers. He is an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Certified Master Diagnostic Technician and Certified Diagnostic Specialist, as well as a Toyota Certified Diagnostic Master Technician.

For more information about awards presented by the Alumni Relations Office at Penn College, visit online.