Training and Recruitment

Washington – The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has received a major gift that will support the organization’s efforts to develop the next generation of leaders in real estate.

Bruce Etkin, chairman of Etkin Johnson Real Estate Partners and a ULI Foundation trustee, is donating $1 million to create the ULI Etkin Scholars Program, which seeks to introduce promising undergraduate and graduate students interested in careers in real estate to all that ULI membership has to offer.

In its first year, the ULI Etkin Scholars Program will provide cohorts of students from four district councils with free ULI student membership and creative programming, networking, and learning opportunities throughout the academic year. Between 80 and 100 students will benefit from the program in its first year.

Bruce Etkin The program aims to grow to support students in 20 district councils over the next five years.

Recipients of KBE’s 2021 Connecticut Technical High School Scholarships

Farmington, CT – KBE Building Corporation recently awarded 12 technical high school students scholarships to help them pay for the costs of pursuing a construction career in the building trades or construction management. This year’s awards totaled $12,000 and eligible expenses include tuition, books, licensing and test fees, and tools needed for apprenticeships.

The scholarships were presented at a special awards event hosted by KBE at Farmington Gardens in Farmington earlier this summer. The event was attended by the scholarship recipients, their families, and a number of principals, counselors, and teachers from the Technical High School system.

“The number of young professionals pursuing degrees and certifications in the construction trades is declining and we wanted to support those students who aim to advance their skills in these fields,” explains Robert Dunn, Esq., senior vice president of KBE Building Corporation.

The 2021 Scholarship Recipients include Jonathan Jaigua, Henry Abbott Technical High School; Tessie Brooks, Howell Cheney Technical High School; Kallie Brannen, E.C. Goodwin Technical High School; Steven Fabila, Teriek Sharpe, and Jésus Cacho, Bullard Havens Technical High School; Zachary Osvald, W.F. Kaynor Technical High School; Gabe Greb, Windham Technical High School; Ty Jurgieliwicz, Alexander Orlov, and Aidan Mennillo, Oliver Wolcott Technical High School; and Roger Jimenez, J.M. Wright Technical High School.

As part of its ongoing commitment to education, KBE Building Corporation will host its fifth Annual Scholarship golf tournament on Aug. 23 with proceeds benefitting the firm’s scholarship fund. The annual scholarships are awarded to seniors at Connecticut’s Technical High School system, with $96,000 awarded to date to a total of 90 students.

Wellesley, MA – As a part of its continuous workforce development initiatives, the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts (AGC MA) will launch the AGC MA Building Advancement Externship (BAE) pilot program on Aug. 16.

The BAE will offer an immersive experience for Massachusetts educators by exposing them to every aspect of the commercial construction industry through office and job site tours, a visit to the Carpenters apprentice training facility, and presentations about career paths, safety, technology, and business operations in today’s commercial construction industry. The program features experiential learning led by construction professionals and provides a comprehensive overview of the industry from the field to the office, with the ultimate goal being the creation of ongoing partnerships between schools and AGC MA to advance awareness about commercial construction career paths.

The externship will offer seven selected educators from each region of the state firsthand understanding of the various skills and career paths in commercial construction, an opportunity for lasting relationships to build awareness of the commercial construction career paths available, the knowledge to relate core competencies in the industry to skills of students, and the ability to demonstrate viable career paths for all types of students from lowincome students, vocational students, high achieving STEM learners, and those who need additional career guidance.

Each extern will participate in 40 hours of virtual and in-person programming during the week of August 16-20, and will each receive a stipend funded by the Massachusetts Construction Advancement Program.

Washington – The Architects Foundation, the philanthropic partner of The American Institute of Architects, continues to support diversity in the architecture profession by awarding its Diversity Advancement Scholarship to 12 students entering architecture school.

Each of the students will receive $4,000 per year toward tuition for the next five years, totaling $20,000 each. The Architects Foundation’s scholarship programs support future leaders of the profession in equity, diversity, and sustainability.

This year’s recipients of the Diversity Advancement Scholarship are Zuleika Baldeo (Curry Stone Foundation Scholar), Windsor Mill, Md.; Naomi Charlesworth, Bloomington, Ind.; Fionn Hu, Chicago; Kaleb Jenkins, St. Louis; Danielle Mitchell, Tenafly, N.J.; Joshua Patrick, Atlanta; Taylor Pinkney, Prosper, Texas; Laura Pisciotte, Hollywood, Fla.; Olivia Salinas, Helotes, Texas; Geremiah Tallas (Safdie Architects scholar) San Antonio; Lavinia Vete, Midvale, Utah; and Rachell Wiggins, Missouri City, Texas.

In addition, The Payette Sho-Ping Chin memorial academic scholarship went to Brittney Sooksengdao, a student at Virginia Tech, who will receive a $10,000 scholarship intended to support the education of women in architecture.

The 2021 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA scholarship was awarded to Alexandra Gottlin, University of Oregon, and Schola Eburuoh, Harvard Graduate School of Design. Each will receive $5,000 to be used toward tuition for demonstrating a strong interest in practice and risk management.

The Yann Weymouth graduate scholarship was given to Josh Greene, a student at Yale University, who will receive a $5,000 scholarship toward tuition for demonstrating an exemplary work focus of design that includes sustainability, resilience, wellness, and beauty.