BOSTON – Shawmut Design and Construction announced that as part of their ongoing relationship with Wentworth Institute of Technology, they have established a scholarship fund for young women and traditionally underrepresented students pursuing degrees in the construction and engineering field through an initial grant of $75,000.
The program’s first three recipients were awarded their annual scholarships at an October 25 ceremony jointly hosted by Shawmut and Wentworth. The event included a mentoring session with vice president Kevin Sullivan, chief of construction operations Mike Sanchez, and other Wentworth alumni. Sullivan is a member of Wentworth’s Class of ’91; Sanchez, a member of the Class of ’94.
“I take pride in our long-standing commitment to equal employment, diversity and inclusion, as well as this new partnership with Wentworth to further enhance this work,” said Marianne Monte, chief people officer at Shawmut. “The decision to partner with Wentworth was a particularly meaningful one for our team as we currently employ more than 100 alumni. This scholarship helps to advance our ongoing commitment to combatting gender inequality and minority underrepresentation in our industry by providing the next generation of leaders with the resources necessary to succeed today.”
With diversity and inclusion among Shawmut’s top strategic priorities, the scholarship was created to directly address imbalances within the industry and is designed for young women and underrepresented minority students. These students must also meet specific academic requirements, including being a full-time, undergraduate student majoring in civil engineering or construction management with a minimum 3.0 grade point average and demonstrated financial need.
“Wentworth welcomes this important contribution on behalf of the increasing numbers of young women and other underrepresented students who wish to come and study at the Institute,” said Wentworth President Zorica Pantić. “We are extremely thankful for Shawmut’s continued support.”
As part of the integrated partnership, each scholarship recipient will also be given the opportunity to participate in a paid, one semester co-op at Shawmut. Here, the students will gain first-hand knowledge through hands-on learning with some of Shawmut’s best leaders. Qualified recipients will receive the Shawmut Scholarship through their graduation date, with Shawmut’s fund distributing $15,000 to the school over the next five years through 2022.
