The St. Louis County Board unanimously approved expanding its Tom Rukavina Mineral Royalties Scholarship Program to now offer scholarships to St. Louis County residents pursuing training in the building and construction trades.
The vote came during a board meeting held in Hermantown that included speakers representing the Duluth and Iron Range Building and Construction Trades Councils.
Emily Matzdorff is a 4th year apprentice with IBEW Local 242, and said she did have to take a small loan out to get her tools when she started.
Since 2018, the St. Louis County Board has contributed $150,000 each year, divided evenly among the four two-year colleges in the county: Minnesota North – Hibbing, Mesabi Range, and Vermilion; and Lake Superior College. The money – $37,500 each – is given to these college’s foundations to distribute to students based on their own criteria and guidelines. The county’s only requirement is that the students graduated from a high school in St. Louis County. The foundations report that they typically award the scholarships in increments of $1,500-$2,500.
Beginning in 2025, the County Board will increase the total annual scholarship amount to $187,500 to also provide $37,500 to the Duluth and Iron Range Building and Construction Trades Councils. The funding will provide scholarships for participants of recognized building and construction trades programs.
Commissioner Keith Musolf, who brought forward the idea to expand the scholarship program, thanked commissioners for their support. “We should celebrate things like this. We are all professionals in our own industry. We are using mining dollars to fund future professionals and create jobs, and I hope that Tom Rukavina would be proud to have this addition to the scholarship program he first championed.”
“We’re really excited to be included for our apprentices and the opportunity for them to continue their training,” said Dan Olson, Vice President of the Duluth Building and Construction Trades Council.
“I know our apprentices will be very grateful. They have expenses – from books to tools,” added Jason Quiggin, President of the Iron Range Building and Construction Trades Council.
Commissioner Keith Nelson spoke of the county’s continuing support for the trades through project labor agreements. He also emphasized a reminder of the source of the scholarship funds. “This is mining money,” said Nelson, “These are mining dollars coming from the mining industry.”
Commissioners also expressed thanks to Senator Grant Hauschild and former Representative Dave Lislegard who assisted in changing state legislation to allow the county to expand the Mineral Royalties Scholarship Program to include the trades.
Any students or prospective students interested in applying for one of these scholarships should contact their respective college’s foundation office or the trades council.
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