Lake Michigan College (LMC) is making waves in Southwest Michigan with a newly established $100,000 scholarship fund aimed at supporting short-term, non-credit training programs. This initiative, spearheaded by the Lake Michigan College Foundation, is designed to address the growing demand for skilled workers in the region.
The scholarship is specifically available to students enrolling in the college’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program, located at its Benton Harbor campus.
“Employers and job providers have told us short-term training opportunities like the LMC Truck Driving School and the Marine Maintenance Technology program are in high demand,” explained Doug Schaffer, Vice President of Advancement and Community Impact. “Those programs, however, are not eligible for traditional financial aid like Pell grants or state scholarship programs. This is the LMC Foundation stepping in to fill a significant need in our community to help students with career opportunities.”
The CDL program, a cornerstone of LMC’s short-term training offerings, is conducted in partnership with Regen Trucking School. Students can complete all requirements in just three weeks at the South Haven campus. Additionally, the Marine Maintenance Technology program, a recent addition to LMC’s lineup, is also included in the scholarship initiative.
Jeremy Burleson, Associate Dean of the South Haven Campus and Select Academic Programs, highlighted the importance of this funding: “We have a great deal of interest in truck driving, but the stumbling block has been the lack of financial aid for students. The Lake Michigan College Foundation is paving the way for high-paying jobs, and we are grateful to LMC donors and leaders for again removing barriers for people in our community. This is great news for our region and our students.”
By addressing the financial challenges that often accompany short-term training programs, Lake Michigan College is opening doors to lucrative career paths for individuals in Southwest Michigan.
Image Source: Lake Michigan College
Source: Truckers News
