Scholarship – Laney College Woodworking Program
In an effort to encourage young men and women to continue developing woodworking skills, the Diablo Woodworkers Club started a scholarship program in 2018 at the Woodworking Technology program at Laney College in Oakland. The scholarship has been named "The Diablo Woodworkers Bill Tarleton Scholarship" in honor of the founder of Diablo Woodworkers.
The scholarship is best described in the words of David Lipscomb, who worked with Laney on establishing the scholarship:
- The primary objective of the Laney Wood Technology program is to help students obtain a career in woodworking.
- Laney College would be responsible for choosing a student for a semester scholarship. This will (in almost all cases) be a student who is in their first semester and has shown both a financial need, and the determination and aptitude to move to the next level of work.
- Laney College will have the Diablo Woodworker application completed, and make a recommendation for who is to receive a scholarship.
- The amount of the scholarship is $500 per semester for a total of $1,000 (2 semesters).
- The second scholarship will be offered to the same student if they have demonstrated excellence in woodworking skills and business acumen (e.g., communications, team building, etc.)
- The selected student will make a presentation on their project(s) to the Diablo Woodworkers at one of their regular monthly meetings. Department Chair and instructors are welcome to attend.
The Diablo Woodworkers uses funds from the annual Craft Fair and proceeds from members’ tool donations to fund the scholarship.
Diablo Woodworkers plan to continue the scholarship in future years for additional students. We will report progress in the Community Projects section of the newsletter.