IC Bus recently supported numerous educational initiatives with the collection and distribution of school supplies, funding of local and national scholarships, and launch of educational partnerships. These initiatives are part of IC Bus’s and Navistar’s broader commitments to social impact and education.

In July, to honor all those who attended the launch of the next-generation CE Series in Reno, Nevada, IC Bus donated $10,000 to the Kids in Need Foundation, a national 501(c) charity that helps create equitable learning spaces through the distribution of supplies and resources, investing in teachers and students in underserved schools. This donation will fund 363 students through a program that ships pre-assembled backpacks filled with essential school supplies to qualifying schools.

“Not only was the launch of our next-generation CE Series bus an important milestone to our business, but we strived to make it an important milestone in our local communities,” said Justina Morosin, vice president and general manager, IC Bus. “Our buses transport millions of children to school, and it is vital that all students have the resources needed to learn once they arrive at their destination.”

Seven Navistar locations participated in a school supply drive through August to collect supplies to send nearly 700 children back to school. One employee resource group, International Community of African Americans at Navistar, distributed filled backpacks at Chicago’s annual Bud Billiken Festival, while other filled backpacks were delivered via electric CE Series buses to multiple schools across various states.

In addition to the school supply donations, nine IC Bus dealers awarded scholarships to students pursuing continuing education. For the 2023-2024 school year, each student will receive $2,500 to put toward their education expenses.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

• Allie Verjinsky, Mid-State Truck, Plover, Wisc.

• Curtis Cooley, Worldwide Equipment, Cross Lanes, W.V.

• Destiny Aragon, Roberts Truck, Albuquerque, N.M.

• Ethan Thieneman, Midwest Transit Equipment, Whitestown, Ind.

• Evan Parkins, Silver State International, Sparks, Nev.

• Isabella Hanks, Rush Bus Centers, Salt Lake City, Utah

• Jocelyn Reynolds, Southland, Birmingham, Ala.

• Reagan Lash, RWC Group, Anchorage, Alaska

• Terah Simmons, White’s IC Bus, Mount Airy, N.C.

To further support educational efforts, Navistar and IC Bus have partnered with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) to sponsor 1,000 high school students at accredited ASE high schools to take the xEV Electrical Safety Awareness Certification Level 1 test. ASE is a nonprofit organization that helps promote high standards for vehicle service and repair through assessment, certification, and credentialing.

Students enrolled in automotive programs will have the chance to connect directly with ASE through their promotion of the program and test for certification. This partnership provides students the opportunity to take their certification test and meet with their local IC Bus dealer, allowing students to make professional connections, see the dealership and its workflow in person, and meet technicians who could potentially act as mentors.

This partnership allows IC Bus to promote electric vehicle safety awareness and let students earn industry-recognized credentials for working safely around this rapidly expanding technology. The purpose of the standards is to provide guidance and document and establish electrical safety requirements, standards, procedures, and safe work practices relating to the development of an electrically safe working area for service professionals in North America working on or around electrified vehicles.

“With Navistar launching new electric vehicles, it is vital that our technicians understand how to service them and best serve our customers,” said Morosin. “This is the perfect initiative for IC Bus to partner with and support ASE in order to address the shortage of technicians which impacts all of the commercial transportation and education industries.”