College hosts 20th anniversary screening of Cars
McPherson, Kan. — The 2006 Pixar movie Cars was the entry point for many young people’s interest in and love of anything on four wheels. The movie influenced a generation of students who found their way to McPherson College’s Automotive Restoration program and who will now have the opportunity to meet the Creative Director of Franchise at Pixar Animation Studios and the driving force behind the Cars franchise, Jay Ward.
McPherson College will host a 20th anniversary screening of Cars on campus in Brown Auditorium on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. with an introduction by Ward, who has two Cars characters named after him: Jay W. and Jumpstart J. Ward. The event is free and open to the public. Before the movie screening, the college’s C.A.R.S. Club will host a Cars & Coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. on campus, where Ward will also be available to meet with the public.
Ward started working at Pixar Animation Studios in 1998 and has worked on some of Pixar’s most successful productions, including Monsters, Inc., Ratatouille, and Cars. As Pixar’s creative director of franchise, Ward oversees global franchise extensions, including theme parks, consumer products, games, and publishing. He is widely known as the legacy guardian of the Cars franchise, bridging authentic car culture and Hollywood storytelling.
“We are incredibly honored that Jay is spending time with our students, faculty, and staff – along with the McPherson community,” said Amanda Gutierrez, vice president for automotive restoration and engineering. “Jay represents the kind of creative thinking, curiosity, and passion that we hope to inspire in our students. His career sits at the intersection of cars, art, storytelling, and business, and that makes his perspective incredibly valuable to our students as they consider where their own passion and skills can take them.”
He is an occasional contributor to Hagerty, Magneto, and Linkage magazines and a frequent judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
In 2023, McPherson College won second in class at the Pebble Beach Concours with a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet that students in the Automotive Restoration program restored. It was the first time in Concours history that a student-restored vehicle earned a spot on the awards podium.
Ward is scheduled to spend two days on campus, including time with students in the Automotive Restoration and Art & Design programs to discuss the film and automotive industry. He will also meet with the broader campus community at a private event.
About McPherson College
McPherson College’s mission is to “develop whole persons through scholarship, participation, and service” within a career-focused liberal arts environment. In 2023, the college secured an unprecedented $1B commitment to its endowment, marking one of the largest single endowment commitments of any small liberal arts college in the U.S. Nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, and the Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For,” McPherson College is renowned for its innovative programs. Its Automotive Restoration program, the first four-year degree program of its kind, made history when a student-restored Mercedes-Benz 300 S earned a class award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – the first time a student-restored car received such an honor at the prestigious Concours. Learn about all of its programs at www.mcpherson.edu.
