LP Building Solutions (LP) has announced the creation of college scholarships to attract greater diversity into the manufacturing industry and promote a more inclusive and representative workforce.

LP has teamed up with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and SHPE to establish scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year.

LP’s Chair and CEO, Brad Southern, said that the company believes that investing in education and opportunities for underrepresented groups is essential to creating a more diverse industry.

Engaging with students can introduce them to the industry and help them develop the skills needed for long, rewarding careers. Southern added that he is proud to be part of an organization that takes action to promote diversity in future generations of engineers.

This is not the first time that LP has supported the National Society of Black Engineers. The company donated in 2022, but this is their first collaboration with national engineering associations to establish scholarships.

The scholarship will be called the LP Building Solutions – Building a Better World Scholarship. The recipients must pursue engineering degrees relevant to LP’s operations, including industrial, chemical, electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering.

Applicants are required to answer one essay question: How will you use your engineering degree to build a better world?

The National Executive Board Chair of NSBE, Avery Layne, expressed her gratitude to LP Building Solutions for supporting their collegiate members with this scholarship and recognizing the value of their long-time work towards greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.

Layne added that LP is the type of corporate partner NSBE seeks, i.e., companies with solid strategic plans to bring more people of color and women to STEM careers and committing substantial resources, creativity, and energy to actualize those plans.

Robert Tovar, SHPE Research & Impact Manager, said that LP’s collaboration provides crucial financial support to students pursuing engineering degrees and demonstrates a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the engineering industry.

Tovar added that together, they can empower talented individuals to establish their careers and make a lasting impact in their communities.

Jehan Shalabi, a SHPE scholarship recipient and Ph.D. student at Purdue University, said that this scholarship validates her dedication to her academic and career pursuits.

She added that the scholarship ignites her drive to shape a brighter future for our world and invests in her forthcoming journey. She expressed her profound gratitude for the support provided during her Ph.D. and aspires to return this generosity to others.

LP Building Solutions is a leading provider of high-performance building solutions. The company manufactures engineered wood products that meet the needs of builders, remodelers, and homeowners worldwide.

Since its establishment in 1972, LP has aimed to Build a Better World™ by helping customers build beautiful and durable homes while creating lasting value for its shareholders. The company operates 22 plants in the United States, Canada, Chile, and Brazil.

LP also supports the industry’s future by offering scholarships, grants, and organizational support. For example, LP is involved in the Manufacturing Institute’s ’35X30′ initiative, which aims to close the gender gap in the manufacturing industry by adding half a million women by 2030.

LP has established a three-year bursary for students of Vancouver Island University’s Indigenous Peoples and Women in Trades Training program.

The company has also set up the LP STEM Kit Library to support Metro Nashville Public Schools, developed a virtual reality program to teach high school math with Nashville, Tennessee-based LEAD Public Schools, and made monetary contributions to various nonprofits, including the Urban League of Middle Tennessee’s Real Estate Developers Academy, Serving Souls, the National Association of Women in Construction, and Black Women Build.

Moreover, LP offers the LP Scholarship Program for the children of team members who excel in their studies and positively contribute to their communities. Click here for more information.