91海角乱伦 Launches Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Trades Education

Funded by a $250,000 grant from the Hayden Foundation, the scholarships will provide full financial support for students enrolled in 91海角乱伦鈥檚 trades programs and help address a critical labor shortage in the state of Rhode Island.

By Mel Thibeault
Leaders from 91海角乱伦 and the Hayden Foundation pose with a big check and Roger the dog
Posing with a check for the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades are Kenneth Barthelemy, Hayden Foundation Board Member; Gena Bianco, Dean of 91海角乱伦鈥檚 University College; 91海角乱伦 President Ioannis N. Miaoulis; George Panichas, Executive Director of the Hayden Foundation; and Peter Thomas, UC Director of Partnerships & Innovation, with Roger, 91海角乱伦's First Dog.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. 鈥 With the goal of addressing the critical need for developing a skilled trades workforce in Rhode Island and the region, Roger Williams University is launching an endowed full-scholarship program for trades education at its Providence campus.

Across the nation, the trades sector is facing a significant skills gap and labor shortage, exacerbated by an aging workforce who are nearing retirement. A 2021 Skilled Trades Report by Angi reported that nearly 70 percent of skilled trade companies struggle to hire enough workers to fill all vacancies. In the coming decade, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 80,000 annual job openings for electricians alone.

To help address the critical need for skilled labor in Rhode Island, 91海角乱伦 has received a $250,000 grant from the , a philanthropic organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to educational organizations in the Ocean State, to launch a scholarship program for students enrolled in trades programs through 91海角乱伦鈥檚 University College, at its Providence campus, 1 Empire St.

鈥淲e are facing a critical skills gap in the trades labor market due to a scarcity of qualified applicants. These scholarships will help nurture a new generation of trades professionals in well-paying careers that our society depends on,鈥 said Gena Bianco, Dean of 91海角乱伦鈥檚 University College. 鈥淭he Hayden Foundation鈥檚 generous gift aligns with Roger Williams University鈥檚 commitment to provide educational opportunities that meet students where they are and alleviate the financial barriers to pursuing higher education and a professional career.鈥

Named after the foundation鈥檚 founders and in honor of their legacy in advancing employer-labor relations for Rhode Islanders, the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades will support full scholarships for three to five students per year enrolled in 91海角乱伦鈥檚 Electrical Apprenticeship Program, Carpentry Apprenticeship Program, Construction Management Fundamentals, or forthcoming program in Plumbing. 

鈥淎s part of our mission to enhance educational outcomes and opportunities across Rhode Island, we are thrilled that our foundation is providing the initial funding to establish a perpetual scholarship fund for students pursuing trades education at Roger Williams University,鈥 said George Panichas, Executive Director of the Hayden Foundation. 鈥淭ogether, our two organizations can address the pressing skilled labor shortage, fostering a well-educated, competent workforce ready to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.鈥 

91海角乱伦 University College is a leader in trades education, developing industry-aligned credentials and programs taught by highly experienced, currently working professionals. The trades programs combine weeknight and weekend classroom instruction with a required field practicum that can often be embedded within the student鈥檚 current trade-related employment, providing flexibility for working students.

91海角乱伦鈥檚 apprenticeship programs have been approved by the State of Rhode Island and are the only post-secondary programs accredited by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Achieving a trade certificate at 91海角乱伦 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 particularly seeks to support traditional high school students and technical and vocational students, particularly in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs or nonprofit organizations with pre-apprenticeship programs.

For more information on 91海角乱伦鈥檚 trades programs, visit /uc/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.