CRESTON, Iowa—Southwestern Community College (SWCC) auto collision repair/refinish Career Academy student Jayden Dierks of Lorimor was named as the 2023 SWCC Gordon Bills Auto Body Scholarship recipient during an informal presentation held on Monday, May 22, at 9 a.m., in the college’s auto collision repair/refinish lab, located in the SWCC Instructional Center.
Dierks will graduate in May 2023 from Winterset High School. He began taking classes at SWCC as a high school senior through the auto collision repair/refinish Career Academy. During the fall 2023 semester, Dierks will become a full-time student in SWCC’s auto collision repair/refinish program. His ultimate goal is to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in auto collision repair/refinish.
The scholarship, in the amount of $1,000, is to be used during the 2023-24 academic year at SWCC. The Gordon Bills Auto Body Scholarship was established through SWCC’s Education Foundation to honor Bill’s legacy after he passed away on March 15, 2022. Gordon “G.B.” Bills moved to Creston in 1966 to start the auto body program at Southwestern Community College. Bills took great pride in the program and was truly a lifetime supporter of Southwestern.
Kevin Bills, Gordon’s son, said the family is extremely appreciative of the gifts received from family and friends, which in-turn enabled the family to be able to create this scholarship. Kevin and his mother, Barb, were both in attendance at the ceremony.
Dierks is the son of Zachary and Jessica Dierks of Lorimor.
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