San Jose, Calif. Woman Awarded $10,000 Brienne Davis Scholarship to Attend Universal Technical Institute

3/17/2010

NASCAR Official’s Legacy Helps Open Doors for Women’s Careers in the Automotive Industry

PHOENIX, AZ (March 16, 2010) – Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Foundation has awarded Jennifer LaFever of San Jose, Calif. a $10,000 Brienne Davis Scholarship to attend Universal Technical Institute in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The scholarship is part of the Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund – a scholarship program designed to help women gain the education they need to pursue careers in the automotive industry. Davis, a UTI alumnus who became a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series official, died tragically in 2008.

LaFever’s love of motorsports began with her father’s involvement with NASCAR.

“I have always been interested in how things work and the world of racing,” said LaFever. “The Brienne Davis scholarship will enable me to combine my mechanical engineering degree with hands-on UTI automotive training in order to pursue my dream of a career in motorsports just like Brienne Davis.”

Funds for the scholarship were raised from the Official Jail & Bail event held for the past two years in Davidson, N.C. The Jail & Bail was created by NASCAR officials to raise money for The Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund, in partnership with The NASCAR Foundation and the UTI Foundation to honor Brienne Davis. Each year several NASCAR drivers celebrities and NASCAR executives are “locked up” for the event, which is held at Brickhouse Tavern in Davidson, N.C., and has raised $200,000 over the course of two years.

“Brienne Davis was a remarkable person who continues to inspire women who seek a technical education,” said Veronica Meury, vice president and executive director of the UTI Foundation. “The Foundation is excited to announce the newest scholarship winner and to be associated with the Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund. Programs like this help deserving women pursue their dreams of a successful career in the automotive industry.”

The Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund is intended to provide an opportunity for a qualified female student who wishes to attend one of nine Universal Technical Institute campuses across the U.S. including UTI’s NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C.

This year the UTI Foundation is awarding two more $10,000 Brienne Davis Scholarships to women who will be attending UTI in Avondale Ariz. and Glendale Heights, Ill. and one $25,000 scholarship made available by Roger Penske to a woman to attend NASCAR Tech in Mooresville, N.C.

More information about the scholarships is available on the UTI Foundation Web site at www.utifoundation.net.

About UTI Foundation:
The UTI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Arizona non-profit, is the umbrella organization for all Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) not-for-profit initiatives and is dedicated to raising funds to further its mission and strategic goals. The UTI Foundation supports technical education for the automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle, marine and NASCAR industries through scholarships, grants, career development and other special programs. For more information, visit www.utifoundation.net.

About Universal Technical Institute:
Universal Technical Institute (UTI) is the leading provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. The company offers undergraduate degree, diploma and certificate programs at 10 campuses across the United States, and manufacturer specific training programs sponsored by the manufacturer or dealer at dedicated training centers. Through its campus-based school system, Universal Technical Institute offers specialized technical education programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI). For more information, visit www.uti.edu.