CFCC Student Receives Inaugural Scholarship

While thinking about various future careers, Maria Torres decided to take the masonry course offered at her high school. She discovered she had a knack for brick masonry. Torres enjoyed masonry so much that she studied it throughout high school.

Encouraged by her masonry teacher, Torres entered 25 masonry competitions. She won several of them and has been featured in Masonry Magazine. After her last competition in high school, she was offered a job and went straight to work after graduation.

She worked for Carolina Masonry Unlimited for two years while her high school instructor encouraged her to attend college. He recognized her talents and knew she was going to do great things.

Torres heeded his advice, and with the help of a grant from the Home Builders Association, she enrolled at CFCC in the Construction Management program. Pursuing her associate degree in Construction Management has opened more doors for Torres. She accepted an internship at Monteith Construction Corporation and learned about the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and a new scholarship they were offering.

NAWIC Wilmington Cape Fear Chapter #390’s mission statement is to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry. The group spent the past year fundraising to give back to the community. Through the CFCC Foundation, NAWIC established a scholarship and the eligibility requirements. Recipients must be female students enrolled at CFCC in a construction program.

“Presenting the check to Maria Torres was heartwarming,” said NAWIC Director Taylor King. “She deserves every single penny of the grant. We cannot wait to watch her grow into her career and will continue to support her in any way we can.”

Torres was surprised and excited to be the first recipient of this scholarship offering at CFCC.

“I feel like I can progress more with this scholarship,” Torres shared. “I am so grateful. Now I can finish my Construction Management degree and work towards my architectural degree.”

Torres loves the Construction Management program and the instructors. She enjoys working in the field where she can see the textbooks come to life in real-world scenarios. Torres says that her instructors are great. “They are there to answer my questions and help me learn through the assignments.”

CFCC has prepared Torres for a great career. As she approaches graduation, Torres has already received multiple job offers. Among them are offers from Monteith, Citadel Masonry, and an inspector job in Raleigh. She has many options to consider for her future.

If you would like more information about CFCC’s Construction Management program, visit https://cfcc.edu/construction-management/