Jan. 16—Officials with the Lakeland Foundation recently announced that the organization has received a $150,000 grant from the Jerome T. Osborne and Georgeanne S. Osborne Charitable Trust to create the “Jerome T. and Georgeanne S. Osborne Endowed Scholarship in Welding.”

In addition, one of Lakeland’s welding labs will be named “The Richard M. Osborne Sr. Welding Lab.”

According to the college, funds from the scholarship will assist students with a variety of needs to help recipients with tuition and fees, or other costs associated with training such as books, supplies, equipment, certification fees, transportation, child care, and other living expenses.

“This opportunity will change the lives of students, provide a skilled workforce to support the business needs of the region, and honor the Osborne family’s legacy of hard work and community service for years to come,” said Greg Sanders, vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the Lakeland Foundation.

“We are grateful to the Osborne Charitable Trust for recognizing the impact of our request and for providing us with these funds.”

Officials noted that welding skills are in “high demand” across Northeast Ohio, and, of Lakeland’s welding program graduates, 100 percent are placed in jobs with 90 percent working and living in the greater Cleveland area.

“Welding teaches (students) a valuable trade with a lot of career opportunities and high-paying wages,” added program coordinator/instructor Ryan Eubank. “This scholarship is going to make a difference for a number of students who don’t have the ability to attend the program without some assistance.”

Lakeland’s welding labs are located in the college’s engineering building, which is scheduled to begin a renovation in spring 2024 with funds from the Economic Development Administration.

The Lakeland Foundation is allowing the Osborne Charitable Trust to choose which welding lab will be named when the renovation is complete.

“We are proud to support the Lakeland Foundation and the workforce development efforts of Lakeland Community College,” said Osborne Trust Administrator Sunny Masters. “We congratulate the Lakeland team and look forward to working with them in the future.”