Michelle Scott, UVU Transportation Technologies

This weekend should be life-changing for three Utah Valley University students. On Friday and Saturday, UVU’s College of Engineering and Technology is hosting their 34th annual Auto Expo and Swap Meet to raise funds for full-ride student scholarships.

The event has raised between $20,000 and $25,000 each year in the past to provide scholarships and host next year’s event.

The scholarships are directly funded by sponsors of the event, as well as fees paid by swap meet vendors and those entering the car show. The swap meet is for selling vintage or modern car parts, as many of those who enter the car show own restored classic cars whose parts are no longer manufactured and sold.

Katreena Davis, an administrative support specialist for the automotive technology program, has been helping run the event for all 34 years.

“Our swap meet is one of the few that is held in Utah and it’s the largest in the state as far as I know. A lot of people come just for the swap meet because they can find things here that they can’t find anywhere else,” Davis said. “When I tell the students they won the scholarship they’re so thrilled when they find out.”

Michelle Scott, UVU Transportation Technologies

James Spackman, then an automotive technology major, received one of the scholarships in 2020, lessening the financial burden and allowing him to focus extra attention on school. Spackman is now an automotive technician in Lehi.

“I was really excited to receive the scholarship, and it was awesome that it was coming from the auto expo donations,” Spackman said. “I have been passionate about automotive technology for a long time, and it was great to have the opportunity to learn about automotive systems in depth, and to be able to have the opportunity to earn a college degree in that program.”

Todd Low, a transportation technologies faculty member and land speed record holder, uses the expo to bring out a land speed car from his team, the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association.

“For many years, I have been the guy in charge of the race team that goes out to the Salt Flats so we like to take the land speed car and put it on display in the expo every year that we can. It was fun to have my guys there in uniform, and the team helps work on the car. I get my students involved with the salt flat races too,” Low said.

The two-day event is free and open to the public. It is held in the UVU Main Campus L3 and L5 lots. The swap meet starts on Friday and goes from noon until 5 p.m., while the auto expo and swap meet will run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Michelle Scott, UVU Transportation Technologies

“We not only are interested in vehicles, but anything that these young students are doing to improve their craft and personal work quality. We want to see that workmanship, and so we have an area here at the show where we let them bring in anything from a trailer they built from scratch in a welding class, to a vehicle that they painted or rebuilt the motor for. One that was entered in the past that was really fun was a go kart. It really is fun to see what everyone brings in,” said Don Wilson, transportation technologies faculty member.

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