THE RWU SHAWMUT SCHOLARS: Diversifying the Design and Construction Talent Pipeline
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SHAWMUT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IS COMMITTED TO CREATING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE.
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JOINING FORCES TO BRIDGE THE DIVERSITY GAP IN INDUSTRY AND HIGHER EDUCATION Nationally, the construction and engineering industries are facing a significant deficit in diverse employment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 3% of construction management professionals are Black, 15% are Hispanic, and 8% are women.
15% White males
8%
Hispanic
3%
74%
Women Black
So too, students of color only make up 29.6% of the populations of colleges and universities in the United States. In undergraduate professional programs, such as engineering and construction management, the percentage of underrepresented students drops even lower. Shawmut Design and Construction, a world-class provider of construction management services and Roger Williams University, the only Rhode Island University with a construction management program, are partnering to change that reality. Together, they will create a new campus to career pathway leveraging the mission, goals and values represented in each of their respective organizations. Shawmut Design and Construction is committed to creating a diverse workforce, and providing employees with an environment where they feel accepted, supported, and heard—where they can contribute to their fullest potential and deliver the best ideas and experiences for their clients. They are committed to investing in equity across the organization as demonstrated by Shawmut’s executive leadership team.
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At Roger Williams University, diversity, equity and inclusion are core institutional values. In February 2020, a three-year Equity Action Plan was launched focusing on the development of critical mass, capacity building, and culture change at the University. RWU continues to build a campus culture of belonging while adding programs and support services to help all students thrive academically, professionally, socially, and emotionally. In addition, there is enhanced focus on increasing financial resources to help make an RWU education more accessible for underrepresented students.
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“ In addition to filling the talent gap, diversity & inclusion efforts lead to an increase in creativity in the workplace and companies report that increased D&I has led to increased performance and profitability. An intentional and practical culture shift towards diversity and inclusion can positively impact company profitability by improving employee productivity, recruiting and retaining top talent, increasing innovation, and creating a safer workplace. Furthermore, collaborative partnerships with diverse entities provide opportunities to expand market share.” -T he Associated General Contractors of America: The Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion in the Construction Industry
“Racial and ethnic diversity comes with a host of benefits at all levels of education and in the workforce—greater productivity, innovation, and cultural competency, to name a few. Moreover, the current and future health of our nation—economic and otherwise—requires that the whole of our population have equitable access to sources of opportunity.” - American Council on Education
RWU SHAWMUT SCHOLARS PROGRAM
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INTRODUCING THE
SHAWMUT SCHOLARS PROGRAM WITH ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY RWU and Shawmut are excited to launch the Shawmut Scholars Program that will increase the University’s ability to recruit, retain and prepare underrepresented students for successful academic and professional careers. Shawmut funding will provide incremental scholarships, internships, student programming and dedicated staff support to bridge the gap in both financial need and career preparedness and to forge connections with these scholars from the time they apply to graduation and beyond.
The RWU Shawmut Scholars Program will provide four-year scholarships, paid internships, and professional development to underrepresented students in engineering and construction management programs, beginning in Fall 2021.
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The Shawmut Scholars Program will provide scholarships and programatic support for three students per year, beginning in the academic year 2021-2022. Shawmut will also provide the industry tools and supports for professional growth from their first year through graduation. This program is a carefully crafted, immersive experience that prepares and supports selective students in our Construction Management and Engineering programs. Each student will have a four-year experience that prepares them to lead, direct and eventually deliver for Shawmut in even the most complicated construction projects. The Shawmut Scholars Program will recruit and create an experience that ties the two organizations together seamlessly and will provide an intentional transition between their undergraduate education and a professional future with Shawmut.
“For years, Shawmut has been a leading employer of our graduates, recognizing the real-world training that makes them ready to hit the ground running as construction professionals when they enter the workplace,” said RWU President Ioannis Miaoulis. “This program is a representation of our core values and commitment to removing barriers to education for historically minoritized communities through the ongoing work of our RWU Equity Action Plan.”
By combining forces, these two leading organizations will provide clear opportunities for lasting change in the industry. By providing a new level of support
for minority and female students, Shawmut will increase diversity in both RWU’s engineering and construction management programs and help shift the industry composition as a whole.
“We are thrilled to launch Shawmut Scholars with RWU to further drive diversity in the industry, starting at the ground floor when students are beginning to shape their careers,” said Marianne Monte, Chief People Officer of Shawmut. “We are dedicated to this work because future generations of builders and leaders are depending on us to break the cycle and provide meaningful opportunities for success in the industry.”
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The Shawmut Scholars Program is a campus-to-career ladder program designed to ensure that access to RWU is supported by programming and dedicated support services for a wholistic approach to academic, social and professional development for each participant.
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PROGRAM DETAILS • Scholarships: Currently, RWU yields 20% of the accepted female and applicants of color to the Construction Management and Engineering programs. Shawmut and RWU will provide additional scholarship support to help bridge the gap and increase enrollment. • Internships: Shawmut will provide students with paid summer internships and winter break externships for their named scholars. Funding will provide additional stipends to cover the costs of housing and/or transportation for the three years preceding graduation. • Programming: The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD), Center for Academic Success (CSAS), and the Intercultural Center (IC) will coordinate peer mentorships, professional mentorships, workshops, events and Shawmut site visits in addition to providing traditional career preparation programming to ensure student participation and success. • Advising: RWU staff resources will be reserved to assist students with career and professional development that augments and supports their academic journey. • Marketing: Enrollment Management will promote the program to eligible high school students and external promotion to local and national construction industry associations and trade publications.
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ABOUT THE PARTNERS Shawmut Design and Construction Shawmut Design and Construction is a $1.5 billion national construction management firm with offices in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Providence, Las Vegas, New Haven, Miami, Chicago, Irvine, and West Springfield. Shawmut works across a wide array of sectors including Education, Cultural and Historic Preservation, Commercial, Corporate Interiors, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Hospitality, Luxury Homes, Retail, and Sports Venues. Shawmut is 100% employee-owned which means every employee has a vested interest in the success of the company and the success of every project and has won over 65 Best Place to Work awards—including Best Workplace by Fortune Magazine three years in a row, Fortune Best Workplace for Women, Fortune Best Workplace for Millennials, Great Place to
Work’s Best Workplace for Parents, and one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes. Shawmut has been a longstanding and valued partner of Roger Williams University, including being a top employer of our graduates, with over 70 graduates hired over the past two decades. In addition, they have provided design and construction services for Bristol campus facilities including Global Heritage Hall, Shawmut Project Center, and the new School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management Labs. In addition, Shawmut employees are engaged in the classroom by serving as guest lecturers, capstone project volunteers and leaders on the construction management program’s industry advisory board. From leadership opportunities to mentorship, Shawmut is an incredibly important and valued partner of RWU.
SHAWMUT HAS HIRED OVER 70 RWU GRADUATES OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.
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Roger Williams University Roger Williams University has a singular goal is to strengthen society through engaged teaching and learning. Across seven academic schools with campuses in Bristol, RI and Providence, RI, over 7,000 students discover their path and passion while making a meaningful impact within the community and around the world. The RWU School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management (SECCM) is uniquely positioned to provide solutions to recruitment challenges for traditionally unrepresented students and future employees in the construction industry. With its exceptional faculty and student-focused, hands-on curriculum, RWU’s programs prepare graduates to be industry-ready on day one. In fact, for more than a decade, 100% of Construction Management graduates have been employed or enrolled in graduate programs within one year of graduation. RWU graduates are highly sought out by employers and often receive multiple job offers during their senior year.
100%
FIRST JOB, DREAM JOB Percentage of 2020 SECCM graduates who landed their first job in a targeted industry - engineering, construction, manufacturing, technology, or consulting.
100%
JOB PLACEMENT OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS Our Construction Management graduates are consistently employed within 6 months of graduation.
$67k
AVERAGE STARTING SALARY of 2020 SECCM graduates employed within 6 months of graduation.
RWU SHAWMUT SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Office of Institutional Advancement (401) 254-3205 cparker@rwu.edu 1 Old Ferry Road Bristol, Rhode Island 02809 www.rwu.edu/giving