Long Island construction firm launches $100K scholarship fund

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Islandia-based general contracting firm Forte Construction Corp. has launched a new $100,000 scholarship fund to assist students pursuing a career in construction. 

The company has launched the Forte Construction Corp. Scholarship Fund at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in Manhattan, a school known for its higher educational programs for engineering students. 

The scholarship will fund the education of one four-year undergraduate student earning his or her degree at The Albert Nerken School of Engineering at The Cooper Union, which will aim to identify a recipient demonstrating an interest in construction and/or construction management. 

“The Cooper Union has played a significant role in my life, and that of my family, allowing us to pursue a foundational education in engineering and construction, a passion that we now channel into the work we do at Forte Construction,” Forte President Larry Pappas, who graduated from The Cooper Union in 1998, said in a written statement. “Shaping and educating the next generation of engineers is more important now than ever, when the nation’s expansive infrastructure needs are expected to reach upwards of $2.6 trillion over the next 10 years. Forte Construction is proud to play a part in that.” 

Pappas’ brother, Forte Construction CFO Nick Pappas, graduated from The Cooper Union in 2002 and Larry Pappas’ son is currently in his sophomore year at the college. 

“Forte Construction has long believed in the importance of giving back, and we are honored to be able to support our partner’s alma mater with a scholarship that will create opportunity for the next generation of construction leaders,” Stephanie Hudson, company vice president, said in the statement. 

The new scholarship fund is not the first time that Forte Construction has assisted in providing young people access to a STEM education. For the past two years, the company has donated to the Society of American Military Engineers and its engineering and construction camps, which has awarded more than 200 scholarships to aspiring engineers seeking to explore opportunities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

Forte Construction and its subsidiaries collaborate on a wide variety of projects with several government agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Long Island Rail Road, New York City Housing Authority, Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, and others. Forte and its subsidiaries also maintain offices in Manhattan and Queens.