(June 17, 2025) The Pennsylvania Bus Association (PBA) announced the recipients of the 2025 Annual Scholarship Awards at the PBA Annual Conference in Glen Allen, VA.

The program was developed to promote higher education goals of our operator members, and their families, whether it be to pursue a college degree or a trade certification. The Scholarship Program, initiated under the leadership of current PBA Chair Tammy Wolf-Baker, started in 2023.

The 2025 Scholarship winners are Katie Kimmel, referred by Operator Member Wolf’s Bus Lines and Karina Kunkel, referred by Operator Member Anderson Coach & Travel. Each received a check in the amount of $1,000 and a plaque.

Those eligible to apply for scholarships are employees or the dependent children of employees for members who own and operate buses. If the applicant is a PBA member employee, the eligible employee must have been employed for at least one year by January 1 in the year in which the scholarships are awarded.

Those eligible to apply must already be registered to a full-time college, professional school, or trade school at the time of application. They must also hold a minimum GPA of 3.0 or, if a professional school, the equivalent of a B grade.

Tammy Wolf-Baker, chair of PBA, presented the awards and thanked the Executive Committee members for their efforts in reviewing all applications received.

Pictured above left to right: Katie Kimmel and Karina Kunkel.

Katie's goal after graduation is to attend veterinary school and become a veterinarian. "I am passionate about caring for animals and want to help improve their health by diagnosing and treating illnesses.  Once I become a veterinarian, I hope to specialize in small and large animal care and maybe venture into exotic animal care, where I can work closely with animals and their owners to provide the best care possible."

Karina's goal after graduation is to start her nursing career at a local hospital. "I believe it’s important to start in a local hospital setting where I can gain hands-on experience, build confidence, and truly understand what it’s like to work in high-pressure environments such as the emergency room and trauma units."

For additional information, please contact:

Pennsylvania Bus Association

Patricia Cowley 717-236-9042

Email: Director@pabus.org

Visit: www.pabus.org

The Pennsylvania Bus Association, incorporated in 1923, is a non-profit organization dedicated to representing the business and governmental interests of private bus companies holding a certificate of public convenience issued by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) and/or the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT). It is also the mission of PBA to promote travel by motorcoach, and tour and charter service provided by operator members in cooperation with and support for its travel industry supplier members. For more information, please visit www.pabus.org or contact our Executive Director, Patricia Cowley at (717) 236-9042 or director@pabus.org.