November 26, 2013 - Tools bring hope, jumpstart career

Mike Kaiser and his mother celebrate his graduation from MMI.

Josh Corwin was a remarkable young man. Overcoming whatever challenges he faced, the single father seemed to have finally settled into life. After graduating from Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) in 2011, he found peace, confidence, happiness and most importantly, pride – both in his new role as a father and what was shaping up to be a promising career as a motorcycle technician.

Miles away, Mike Kaiser was at a crossroads. Hardworking and tired of juggling the demands of several odd jobs to make ends meet, he had decided it was time to make a change in his life. The Montana native’s love of snowmobiles was the driving force behind his decision to apply to MMI. He packed his small car and embarked on the journey of a lifetime.

Although they never knew each other, Corwin and Kaiser’s lives would become forever linked.

Tragically, Corwin’s life was cut short earlier this year. His parents set out to honor his memory. Corwin’s technician tools were sacred. He spent every extra penny he earned on building his beloved tool collection worth nearly $10,000. To honor his memory, his family established the Josh Corwin Memorial Tool Award through the Universal Technical Institute Foundation. The one-time award would ensure Corwin’s passion lived on by helping another MMI graduate with similar character and outlook.

Seeing the similarities between his own life and Corwin’s, Kaiser applied for the award. His 4.0 GPA and 99.4 percent attendance rate impressed the selection committee, but it was his hunger and commitment to succeed that made Kaiser the natural choice to receive the tools.

In his essay, he wrote, “I feel so blessed and privileged to have the little bit I have worked so hard for, and plan on doing great things with what I have no matter where this incredible industry takes me. I promise you and Josh that if I receive this award, the tools will be the hardest used and best maintained set of tools in the field.”

“I feel very honored and privileged to receive his tools, and I will pursue my passion for snowmobile repair with the same conviction that Josh did with motorcycles,” said Kaiser. “I will forever be grateful to Josh’s family for selflessly donating his tools to jump-start the career of another MMI student. I am humbled to have been the selected student, and I believe that my future will be brighter because of Josh and his family.”

Kaiser graduated in October 2013. And with the prized tools in tow, he set off back to Montana, eager to put them to use and build a career in the snowmobile industry, making good on his promise to Josh and Josh’s family.