Charlie Andrews, 29, a student in Fox Valley Technical College’s Vehicle Refinishing & Repair Technology program, earned a $2,500 scholarship from the 3M Collision Repair Education Fund thorough its Hire Our Heroes program.

Andrews, a military veteran with two tours of duty, is a member of FVTC’s Student Veterans Club and Student Government Association. During his first year of studies at FVTC, Andrews also received a donation of toolboxes from a local employer for other students to use in the program. The Suring native plans to graduate from FVTC in 2014. He then plans to start his own automotive repair and collision shop.

The 3M Hire Our Heroes program funds scholarships nationwide for collision repair education and automotive skill-based rehabilitation for U.S. returning veterans and their families. The program is also designed to support the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in raising awareness for hiring America’s veterans and driving employment in the collision repair industry.