Before they can earn a paycheck repairing cars, installing heating systems or fabricating metal, many trade students must first pay for the tools of their future profession.
A $15,000 donation from the Orland Park Kiwanis Club will help dozens of Moraine Valley Community College students overcome that challenge through scholarships supporting Career Programs at the Moraine Valley Foundation.
The gift will expand scholarship opportunities for students in high-demand technical fields, including heating and air conditioning, automotive technology, automation and engineering technology, and welding. The funds can be used for tuition, fees, books, tools and classroom supplies.
For many students, those upfront costs can determine whether they are able to enroll at all.
“Students in our Career Programs are using fewer typical classroom supplies and more on-the-job tools,” said Patti Mehallick, director of alumni and annual programs for the Moraine Valley Foundation. “While this prepares students for the working environment right away, they often bear the financial burden upfront, which can make students hesitant to pursue these programs.”
She said scholarships like these help remove that barrier and allow students to focus on building skills rather than worrying about how to afford the equipment required to learn them.
The donation continues a partnership between the college foundation and the Orland Park Kiwanis Club that has spanned nearly a decade. Over the past eight years, the club has contributed similar gifts that have helped more than 100 students complete or continue their education.
This latest contribution will fund scholarships for 28 Career Programs students beginning in the fall 2026 semester and continuing into spring 2027.
The Orland Park Kiwanis Club is a volunteer service organization focused on supporting children and families throughout the region. In addition to its work with Moraine Valley students, the club raises funds for organizations including the Crisis Center for the South Suburbs, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the VIP Service Dog Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.
“Our donations focus on where we can have the greatest impact on people or organizations with the greatest needs,” said Larry McGrenera, president of the Orland Park Kiwanis Club. “We hope that the scholarships we provide to Moraine Valley students hit that target and look forward to the students growing our gift to pay it forward in the future, once they land a job in their chosen field.”
He added that the club hopes scholarship recipients will eventually become community leaders themselves, and possibly even future members of Kiwanis.
Scholarships through the Moraine Valley Foundation are awarded based on academic achievement, financial need, leadership skills and community involvement.