The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Missouri Education Foundation released a scholarship in early February for construction and skill/trade majors. This scholarship is available for high school and college students in Missouri.

Students can use the scholarship award to pay for textbooks, tools, equipment and other college expenses.

SEMO Construction Management professor Jaron McMurry said he was unaware of available construction scholarships while he attended college. As a professor, he said he now wants to promote every scholarship opportunity to students.

“I work hard to make sure I get information out to students through their email, through Facebook or other forms of information. I encourage [the students] a lot and that there's no reason not to apply, especially if you're going to be in construction,” McMurry said.

McMurry said many students work 40 or more hours per week to pay for college expenses, and scholarships help ease those expenses.

Construction students can be considered for three scholarships through the AGC: the Young Executives Club, Construction Leadership Council and Education Foundation scholarship. College students can earn up to $2,000 with multiple awards, and skilled trade/Vo-Tech students can earn up to $1,000 with multiple awards.

SEMO Engineering and Technology chair Brad Deken said he is excited about the AGC scholarships’ potential to help students pay for college.

“I think it’s a good signal to students that these groups see the value not only in these majors, such as construction management for this one in particular, but also the value in Southeast Missouri State and the way we offer these programs,” Deken said. “These scholarships can make a huge difference to the students themselves. Some students are wondering where the next tuition payment is going to come from.”

AGC Missouri administrative assistant Nancy Lake said there was a rise in scholarship applications throughout the past couple of years.

“[AGC Missouri] received 82 applications last year,” Lake said. “It was the first time I was really able to send out information to high schools, have a larger list of colleges interested, and my staff worked harder to get information out.”

The scholarship application is available through Kaleidoscope scholarship management program. Students must submit their transcripts, two letters of recommendation and an essay; they should also prepare for a personal interview by March 1, 2022.

For more information and to apply for the scholarship, visit the AGC’s website.