鶹ɫƬ Receives $150,000 Grant from Hayden Foundation to Continue Trades Education Scholarship Program
The Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden scholarships help address Rhode Island’s critical labor shortage by providing financial support for students enrolled in 鶹ɫƬ’s trades programs.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – 鶹ɫƬ and the are continuing to address the trade labor shortage facing Rhode Island and the region through a scholarship program for students enrolled in trades programs through 鶹ɫƬ’s Extension School.
The projects nearly 650,000 construction-related job openings annually nationwide over the next decade. To address this need, the Hayden Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to educational organizations in R.I., has granted $150,000 to the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades for students enrolled in Electrical Apprenticeship and Plumbing Apprenticeship programs through 鶹ɫƬ’s Extension School.
“The Hayden Foundation Board is honored to provide continued support to this scholarship for students pursuing trades education at 鶹ɫƬ,” said George Panichas, Executive Director of the Hayden Foundation. “This ongoing commitment on behalf of Don and Elaine Hayden of a perpetual scholarship program reflects our deep belief in the power of education to transform lives, uplift communities, and build a stronger future for all.”
The Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades honor the organization’s founders and their legacy of advancing employer-labor relations for Rhode Islanders. It supports partial scholarships for 22 students who are enrolled in 鶹ɫƬ’s Electrical Apprenticeship Program (11) and Plumbing Apprenticeship Program (11).
“These scholarships empower the next generation of skilled trades professionals to build rewarding, well-paying careers while addressing the essential workforce needs that sustain our communities,” said Gena Bianco, Dean of 鶹ɫƬ’s Extension School. “The Hayden Foundation’s generous investment exemplifies 鶹ɫƬ’s commitment to meeting students where they are and removing financial barriers to higher education and professional advancement.”
鶹ɫƬ Extension School is a leader in trades education, developing industry-aligned credentials and programs taught by highly experienced, working professionals. The trades programs combine weeknight and weekend classroom instruction with a required field practicum that can often be embedded within the student’s current trade-related employment, providing flexibility for working students.
鶹ɫƬ is the only higher education institution in Rhode Island with full accreditation from the National Center for Construction Education and Research, a nationally recognized industry standard. Achieving a trade certificate at 鶹ɫƬ is more affordable than traditional skilled trade degree programs elsewhere, and the learning experience can be utilized as credit toward a degree.
While anyone may apply for the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades, the program traditionally supports high school students, particularly in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs or nonprofit organizations with pre-apprenticeship programs.
For more information on 鶹ɫƬ’s trades programs, visit /ext/offerings/trades.
For information on the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades, contact Peter Thomas at pthomas@rwu.edu or (401) 254-3582.