Breaking into a new career is no easy feat. The financial cost and time commitment of getting trained for a different job serves as a barrier for many people when they consider starting or switching to a new career field. Recognizing that skilled trade and vocational careers are in high demand in Michigan, the Lake Trust Foundation established the New Beginnings scholarship. For the fourth year in a row, we’re helping future and current students on their journey to achieve their dreams.
Scholarships worth up to $5,000 each were available to help students with tuition costs at a trade school or technical education program. Funds could also be used for trade tools, professional fees or dues, books, or supplies. Applications were open to anyone in the state of Michigan who wanted to attend school in fall 2021, including people who wanted to change careers, recent high school graduates, people planning to go back to school, or those who were working in an industry greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s our pleasure to announce the 2021 recipients of the New Beginnings scholarship through the Lake Trust Foundation. Let’s meet our recipients and say congratulations!
 |
Nael H.: Firefighter/Paramedic As a current student at Lansing Community College, Nael wants to use his skills to give back to his community. He’s currently enrolled in the Firefighter Academy at LCC to become a paramedic/firefighter. While working toward his associates degree, Nael hopes to work part-time with his local township as a firefighter. The New Beginnings Scholarship will help Nael pay for the costs of completing his program. He later plans to work as a firefighter/EMT and may continue his education in the medical field. |
|
Elisa I.: Registered Nursing Elisa is heading to Gogebic Community College in the fall with plans to become a registered nurse. She’s currently working as a nurse aid and enjoys helping others in their time of need. By advancing her career in the medical field, she can continue to make a difference in her community and fulfill a great need. Receiving the New Beginnings scholarship will take some stress off Elisa and allow her to focus more on her studies. |
|
|
|
Alexandra K.: Electrical Engineering Everyone needs power, and Alexandra is excited to use the power of her education to create a greener planet. Being part of her local First Robotics team sparked Alexandra’s interest in engineering. Now she’s going to a summer camp through DTE to learn more about monitoring generators and exploring renewable energy sources. This future electrical engineering student hopes to use her talents to make the earth a better place. Upon hearing that she won a New Beginnings scholarship, Alexandra was extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity. She looks forward to learning more about the innovative technology in the energy industry and hopes to start a career with one of Michigan’s energy corporations. |
|
Jared S.: HVAC Technician Jared’s journey in a skilled trade career started in high school when he participated in a construction program and was able to gain firsthand experience learning about the building process. He found that he really enjoyed HVAC because it incorporated aspects of several different skilled trades, like plumbing, electrical, and ventilation. Now he’s pursuing an associate degree in applied science at Lansing Community College where he’s taking classes to further his knowledge of his chosen field, gain additional HVAC certifications, and become more efficient on service calls. He also wants to learn more about the service requirements for geothermal units, which are becoming more popular in private homes. Jared’s long-term goal is to obtain his journeyman’s license and serve as a mentor for the next generation of tradespeople. |
|
 |
Daniel S.: Construction Management Daniel is excited to start taking online courses and take his construction business in a new direction. Right now, he works in residential building doing small projects as a sub-contractor. In the future, he hopes to build his business and hire additional tradespeople so he can take on larger projects. To do this, he’s considering taking some small business classes to learn more about the financial and business side of how to grow his company. |
|
Brendan H.: Electrician The New Beginnings scholarship opens up a new chapter of life for Brendan. After sending in his scholarship application, he nervously awaited a response. He was later overjoyed to hear that he had won a $5,000 scholarship, which would cover almost all of the costs for him to attend a two-year program and begin training as an electrician. With the financial weight of school lifted from his shoulder’s, he can focus more on training and coursework to obtain his journeyman’s license. One day he hopes to own his own business to provide services and share his expertise in the community. |
|
When our community has power, we all have power. That’s why we’re passionate about education, offering scholarships that help individuals get from where they are to wherever they want to go. Together, we can help people create a new future for themselves. For their families. And for Michigan communities.