Showing off the bronzed tools of their trades, Devon Field, Plumbing; Orrin Nevins, Welding; Jonathan MacIntyre, Automotive Service Technician; and Frazer Hunter, Electrical, flank Ken Lepin. The Kamloops developer’s $50,000 gift to the TRU Foundation made it possible for each student to receive a $1000 Ken Lepin Award of Excellence.
(Jeremy Demone, Residential Construction not shown)
Five of Thompson Rivers University’s top entry-level trade students were presented with the first Ken Lepin Awards of Excellence today.
Students Jeremy Demone, Residential Construction; Frazer Hunter, Electrical; Jonathan MacIntyre, Automotive Service Technician; Devon Field, Plumbing and Orrin Nevins, Welding each received $1,000 from the $50,000 endowment Lepin earmarked for TRU trades apprenticeship programs.
“It’s been a great experience going to TRU, I had a lot of fun and I am looking forward to third year,” said MacIntyre, who is fresh off a gold medal win at the National Skills Canada competition in Calgary.
“It is kinda nice that the university is going to hang the plaques in the hall so I can bring my children and my grandchildren to show them that this is where I learned how to do what I do “I like that,” he added, commenting on the hardware that the students received along with the monetary prize.
Lepin’s history as a local developer working with trades people inspired him to elevate the opportunity trades trained students could have, and with this award, support excellence. These students demonstrated excellence in many areas, including craftsmanship, project design and academic achievement.
“I conceived this award because I have been in the building business for a number of years and the sand and gravel business and have been very dependant on trades people. I find its getting harder and harder to find these people,” Lepin said.
He is hopeful that by providing a $1000 prize for each top trades students annually; his fund will make an impact on students and inspire them to achieve their greatest potential in a variety of their educational and training components.
“Mr. Lepin’s life experiences and his success motivated him to choose the TRU Foundation as a place to give back to our community,” explained Christopher Seguin, Vice President Advancement. “Working with donors like Mr. Lepin, who have a vision of the difference that they can make in students’ lives, is a growing opportunity for us at TRU.”
Contact:
- Christopher Seguin, Vice President Advancement, (p) 250-852-6357
