Metallica Scholars Initiative

East Central College is part of the Metallica Scholars Initiative sponsored by iconic heavy metal band Metallica. Through their foundation, All Within My Hands, the band provide funds for scholarships to help students in the Advanced Manufacturing programs at East Central College.

Applications for the 2025 Spring Semester are due Friday, January 10, 2025 at noon.


Metallica Scholars Initiative students will be trained in the following Advanced Manufacturing programs:

Graduates of these programs are in a strategic position to quickly enter the workforce to achieve competitive wages and benefits.

Short Term. More Pay. Gain Skills.

The programs were selected specifically for students to gain workplace skills in a short amount of time.

The Metallica All Within My Hands Foundation logo

How do I qualify for a scholarship through the Metallica Scholars Initiative?

A student must show the following:

  • Display financial need
  • Completed a high school diploma/high school equivalency
  • Must be enrolled in one of the four programs:
    • Welding
    • Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
    • Industrial Engineering Technology
    • Precision Machining
  • Must complete a thank you to the Metallica Foundation.

Already a student?

If you are already an ECC student and interested in the Metallica Scholars Initiative, complete the scholarship form. (Sign in using your standard ECC account info.)

Metallica Scholars Scholarship Form

Questions?

Contact Gayle Bailey
636-584-6563
gayle.bailey@eastcentral.edu

Are you new to ECC?

For more information on how to take advantage of the Metallica Scholars Initiative, contact Gayle Bailey, Financial Aid Advisor 636-584-6563 or gayle.bailey@eastcentral.edu

Scholarship Recipients


How many students have received a Metallica Scholars award? 101 students have been awarded!

How many scholarships have been awarded? 164 scholarships awarded!

How much money has been awarded since 2022? More than $175,000!

What can the scholarship pay for? Students can use the scholarship to pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, day care and transportation costs.

Jennifer Shaw

Jennifer Shaw

HVAC

Thank you so very much for this scholarship. It helps me as a full-time student, working as much as I can, while trying to spend quality time with my 12-year-old. I’m grateful to be earning my HVAC certification, and I even got to walk the graduation ceremony. As intimidating as it’s been coming back to school and graduating again at 39, your scholarship has truly made a difference! Thank you once again. I hope others get to benefit from your generosity.

Louis Werner

Louis Werner

Welding

I want to say thank you so much for the scholarship. I truly appreciate the money. It will help with gas money to go to and from school. My plans are to pipeline weld.

I was raised on a working cattle ranch and was homeschooled. I have always enjoyed working with my hands and building things. On the farm there is always a need for a welder so through the small welding jobs I have done on my own, I became more interested in learning welding as my potential career.

Staying in the rural environment is important to me, and I know the art of welding is needed, but scarce. That is where I would like to use my skill as a welder. I am very grateful for your generosity, and I am excited for what my future holds.

Noah Jackson

Noah Jackson

Industrial Engineering Technology

Thank you, Metallica Scholars, and the All Within My Hands Foundation. While I have taken fewer courses than usual, money is still very tight. There just hasn’t been much work for me since the start of the year. I went from working full-time to just two days a week, and while this helps me keep up with school, it also makes it very hard to pay for school. More than half of my income is going toward tuition and transportation to school. This financial support really means a lot to me.

Nina Tweedy

Nina Tweedy

Welding

Thank you so much for this generous opportunity! I am a single mother of an 8-year-old, and I just graduated with a welding certificate. I plan to come back for a degree in welding. I am forever grateful for your support!

Gabriel Altermayer

Gabriel Altermayer

Industrial Technology

I am so grateful to have been chosen for a Metallica Scholarship! I am in my final semester for my associate degree, and I am the first in my family to complete college. I work 40–60 hours per week to support myself and my education. This really helps to get me to my goal.

I graduated May 11 with an associate in applied science degree in Industrial Engineering Technology. I already have a good job lined out due to this, so thank you for helping me better myself. You are really giving people a chance to get ahead in life or start a new journey. Thank you on behalf of me and all other students. Rock on!

Race Clark

Race Clark

Precision Machining

Thank you very much for this scholarship. I am in my last semester of the Precision Machining program, and we had the opportunity to design, program, and machine anything we could imagine. I used the money from the scholarship to pay for the materials needed to complete the project.

The part I chose to machine is a symbol of an Air Force detachment down in Florida where I went to tech training. After this semester, I plan to transfer to Missouri S&T to get a degree in metallurgical engineering. My goal is to have a wide knowledge of metals and how they are formed, manufactured, and assembled for industries. During my time at Missouri S&T, I believe the skills I learned at ECC can be put to good use for one of the many clubs and projects Missouri S&T has to offer. Again, I cannot thank you enough for this scholarship and the opportunity you have given me.

Read more

Videos and St. Louis Television Profiles


Metallica Scholars on KMOX
Carhartt grant story at KMOV First Alert 4