Hampton Lumber has established a permanent endowed scholarship with the Centralia College Foundation for the benefit of Centralia College students enrolled full time in trades programs, the company announced Tuesday.
Hampton, a family-owned, Portland, Oregon-based lumber company, operates two sawmills in East Lewis County in the communities of Randle and Morton. Hampton purchased these two mills, also known as the Cowlitz Stud Mills, in 1999, according to a news release.
“One of our priorities as a company is to help improve access to a variety of educational opportunities for students, especially in the trades,” said Hampton Lumber CEO Randy Schillinger. “Skilled trades positions are in high demand and are critical to local natural resources industries.”
Centralia College’s technology, trades and manufacturing program includes opportunities for diesel equipment technology, welding, commercial driver’s license, electronics and robotics and industrial trades.
“Hampton Lumber has been a strong and steady supporter of education and Centralia College over the decades, investing in scholarships and programs that benefit all of our students,” said Christine Fossett, executive director of the Centralia College Foundation. “This scholarship to promote degree programs in the trades is timely and extremely beneficial. We appreciate Hampton's commitment to student success and Centralia College students.”
Hampton was a founding partner in Centralia College's mobile training lab for career and technical education. The lab includes equipment simulators to spark interest in the trades among students in rural Lewis County.
“I was raised in the Cowlitz Valley,” Schillinger said. “I couldn’t be more pleased to announce this continued investment in educational opportunities in Lewis County.”
With over 80 years in the sawmill business, Hampton operates sawmills in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia and markets wood products all over the world, the company stated in a news release. Hampton also manages a wholesale and lumber export division and numerous reload and remanufacturing facilities throughout the U.S.
All of Hampton’s forestlands are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable forest management, according to the news release, which stated, “SFI-certified forests play an important role in water conservation, wildlife habitat and climate solutions.”
