Skip to main content

#MetallicaGivesBack

Scholars Spotlight

Metallica Scholars Spotlight

Anna - Grand Rapids Community College

Anna Petlick had been working setting gemstones at a local jewelry manufacturer for years and was feeling like she was going nowhere and unable to full her pontential. In the small town where she grew up they didn't really talk about trade jobs as potential careers. Having a passion for learning and enjoying the process of figuring out how things are put together, and how things work, led Anna to the welding program at Grand Rapids Community College. She has found that welding is helping her with her other interests which are furniture making and architecture. 

“I really like a challenge. When I saw the GRCC Metallica Scholars program, I was all in!”

Calvin - East Central College

Calvin - East Central College

The common thread in all our scholars' stories is a desire to create a better life through hard work.

AWMH is enthusiastic about workforce education because we know that getting properly trained and certified can enhance several aspects of a student's life: it can increase confidence and proficiency on the job, it can lead to a higher wage, and it can open the door for more opportunities in the future.

Calvin Tyre was an experienced maintenance technician but found himself in unfamiliar territory: Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning. With this professional transition, he enrolled at East Central College in Union, Missouri, where HVAC is one of five fields of study offered to Metallica Scholars.

His experience is a familiar one. He is working hard to help support his family, and this scholarship is helping him bridge the financial gap while pursuing his education. We asked him to share his story, and this is what he had to say:

"I am paying for this class out of pocket. I currently work a full-time job and a part-time job, plus I am a full-time student and have a family. This scholarship helps with the financial struggles while I am in the program. I am a maintenance supervisor at a prison, and last June, I was placed in the HVAC department. I knew a little about HVAC, but I was far from what I consider to be an HVAC tech — so I bet on myself to see what opportunities this brings."

Return To List

Our impact this year has changed our community!

100% of donations go directly to the local organizations the foundation supports.

  • raised for month of giving to the Farmlink Project

    $350,848

  • Dollars Raised By Auctions, Sweepstakes, Merch & Round Up!

    $418,980

  • Third Fact

    $100,000

MENU CLOSE