Lake Region State College Joins Nationally Recognized Metallica Scholars Initiative

July 21, 2026

Erin Wood

LRSC

Lake Region State College campus building entrance with blue facade and brick college sign.

Lake Region State College Joins Nationally Recognized Metallica Scholars Initiative As the Workforce Education Program Expands to over 90 Schools

Devils Lake, ND – Lake Region State College is proud to announce its selection as one of 18 new schools to join the eighth year of the prestigious Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI). Supported by a generous $75,000 grant aimed at enhancing Managing Career Pathways into Agriculture. Through this program, LRSC will provide students with navigator models into agricultural internships that align with their occupational interests.

All Within My Hands (AWMH), the non-profit, philanthropic organization created by the members and management of Metallica, proudly announces the eighth year of its Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI) with its largest grant to date: over $3.3M. 18 new US schools will join the returning 75 colleges in the fall for a total of 93 in the program. In addition, later this year the Metallica Scholars Initiative will also expand to the United Kingdom in partnership with Capital City College Group in London.

“Agriculture is a driving economic force in our region, and this partnership with Metallica’s Foundation, All Within My Hands, allows us to connect students with hands-on learning, structured support, and clear pathways into careers,” said Dr. Carmen Simone, LRSC President.

The grant will expand LRSC's existing commitment to work-based learning by strengthening student engagement, increasing employer partnerships, and enhancing structured support throughout the internship experience. Through dedicated faculty and staff mentorship, intentional career navigation, and coordinated employer collaboration, the program will provide students with clear pathways from the classroom to meaningful careers in agriculture while helping employers develop a skilled workforce pipeline.

“These grant funds will allow us to address these concerns by testing a model that connects students directly to employment,” Simone added.

Through this initiative, agriculture students enrolled in LRSC certificate and degree programs will participate in structured work-based learning experiences that align with their career interests and educational goals. Grant funding will also support student scholarships and participation incentives, reducing barriers to internships and youth apprenticeships while strengthening connections between students and regional agricultural employers.

Metallica’s James Hetfield said, “This thing started as a dream. Now our program is changing lives. To expand our impact on a global scale and support even more students is so rewarding. We’re so proud of all the Metallica Scholars who have come through it and all the ones who will participate in it. It’s humbling to know we’ve been part of the journey of thousands of trade professionals doing good, hard work in the world.”

AWMH continues to work closely with its long-time partner, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Launched in 2019 by All Within My Hands, MSI’s core focus is supporting conventional trades, including welders, plumbers, and electricians, while also adding fields that will generate the jobs of tomorrow. The workforce initiative continues to evolve, supporting diverse fields for students interested in gaining the skills and training necessary to establish meaningful careers that provide family-sustaining wages. Year 8 includes a wide range of fields, including nursing and healthcare, optical systems technology, automotive repair, maritime manufacturing, firefighting and EMT, pipefitting, and agricultural pathways.

Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard, President and CEO, AACC, said, “The continued growth of the Metallica Scholars Initiative is a powerful testament to what’s possible when visionary philanthropy and community colleges come together around a shared mission. Through this partnership, 13,000 community college students have already been supported across the country, earning the skills needed for in- demand careers with family-sustaining wages. This latest, generous investment by Metallica’s foundation will reach more learners, while strengthening the workforce pipelines that power local economies. We are proud to partner with All Within My Hands to scale this impact, ensuring even more students have access to life-changing opportunities in the skilled trades and beyond.”

The initiative’s eighth iteration also marks the renewal of AWMH’s partnerships with Carhartt, Wolverine, CNH Construction, and Upstaging, Inc., as well as the addition of the Foundation’s newest partner, ServiceTitan. These corporate partners complement the Foundation’s Executive and Advisory Board Members and the broader Metallica Family, all of whom have played a role in advancing AWMH’s mission and driving its success.

Peter Delgrosso, Executive Director, AWMH, said, “Metallica Scholars Year 8 will see our largest-scale growth yet, as we anticipate supporting close to 4,000 new students in the United States and more than 1,000 learners in the UK. This represents an approximate 40% increase in our student body, something we are incredibly excited about. Supporting people of all ages entering and ascending through trades is the right thing to do, not just domestically, but also abroad. Our Metallica Scholars have demonstrated resilience and a strong determination to succeed, which in turn motivates us to match their ambition.”

Newly Added Metallica Scholar Colleges:

For a complete list of all 93 colleges currently supported by AWMH, visit allwithinmyhands.org/metallica-scholars.

About Lake Region State College
Lake Region State College is a comprehensive community college located in Devils Lake, ND, with outreach to numerous communities in the state. Established in 1941, LRSC provides multiple career and technology programs for fast entry into the workforce along with the first half of a bachelor's degree. LRSC also provides noncredit training for business and industry through its TrainND division. Visit LRSC.edu for more information or follow us @lakeregionstate.

About All Within My Hands
Established in 2017, All Within My Hands (AWMH) is a non-profit, philanthropic organization conceived by the members and management of Metallica and dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. Metallica covers all administrative costs, so 100% of donations go directly to the organizations supported by the Foundation. To date, All Within My Hands has provided grants of $19M to career and technical education programs through its Metallica Scholars Initiative, $8.8M to combat food insecurity, and $6.2M to disaster relief and other critical local services worldwide. Visit AllWithinMyHands.org to learn more. And follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About American Association of Community Colleges
As the voice of the nation’s community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) delivers educational and economic opportunity for more than 10 million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC’s member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers, and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support they need to deliver on the mission of increasing economic mobility for all. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/