Fall is in the air, and at the Louisiana Construction Education Foundation (LCEF), we’re proud to reflect on a year of impactful giving that’s helping shape the next generation of construction professionals.
In 2025, LCEF awarded 28 scholarships of $1,000 each. Since launching our endowment program in 2019 with a $250,000 donation to the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) Foundation, we’ve helped create a total of 430 scholarships. The Board of Regents matched $180,000 of our gift to support 360 awards across nine campuses, with the remaining $70,000 administered directly by LCTCS. To date, 140 students have received scholarships through this effort. The Louisiana Department of Education supports the program by promoting these opportunities to high school students on the JumpStart career pathway.
Fall brings fresh momentum for Louisiana’s future builders
High school students explore construction careers.
Among this year’s recipients are 28 students from 14 parishes, including a Lake Charles student who completed multiple industry-recognized certifications, such as NCCER Core and AWS Welding, maintained a 3.5 GPA, and balanced his work on crawfish farms and rental property maintenance with extracurriculars like Future Farmers of America. Another student from Cheneyville, Louisiana, maintained a 3.4 GPA while earning certifications in NCCER Core, NCCER welding, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and visual design. She also participated in Jobs for America’s Graduates, volunteered in local clean-up efforts and aspires to become a welder or electrical technician. Through Louisiana’s JumpStart diploma program, both of these students are entering the workforce with valuable, job-ready skills.
The LSU Bert S. Turner Construction Management Department is well on the way to realizing its plans to make LSU a top-tier school in the nation and a world-class leader in the field. LSU is uniquely positioned to do this with a robust and fast-growing energy industry, challenging road and construction geologies for research, and a growing population in need of more homes and businesses in Louisiana. A new, $107 million construction and advanced manufacturing building will be built to achieve the mission. LCEF made a $100,000 grant to help with the effort and we can’t wait to see how this exciting project develops.
LCEF is also proud to support innovation in workforce development. We awarded a $25,000 grant to unCommon Construction, a New Orleans-based nonprofit that’s provided more than 500 high school apprenticeships since 2015. Its inclusive model reaches 80% youth of color, 30% female or gender nonconforming students and 80% from low-to-moderate income communities. With LCEF’s help, unCommon Construction is expanding to serve more youth and adults with career workshops and training.
We awarded a microgrant of four $1,000 scholarships to young women participating in the Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance’s Women in Industry Forum (WIIF).
The WIIF, which launched in Baton Rouge in 2024, is expanding to New Orleans this fall. Two students from each region, all with a strong interest in careers in industry and construction, will receive scholarships.
Lastly, this year we made the final donation half of a $110,400 grant to Prairieville High School in Prairieville, Louisiana to help them build out the ventilation system for their pipefitting and welding lab. The lab, which opened in August, began as a concept in 2023 and has now come to fruition.
As we celebrate 16 years of investing in the future construction workforce, LCEF remains a vital connector — linking generous donors with programs that make a difference, one student at a time. Join us in building the future by getting involved or making a contribution today.
For more information, visit lceftoday.org.
