GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Singer and guitarist for Metallica, James Hetfield, was greeted with gifts from Grand Rapids Community College on Wednesday.
Metallica was in town to play at Van Andel Arena, but before the concert, Hetfield caught up to talk with GRCC President Bill Pink about skilled labor and helping people get jobs.
Metallica gave GRCC a $100,000 grant to provide more opportunities for nontraditional students to get welding skills that could lead to jobs in the future.
“He [Hetfield ] expressed a desire to see the funding from the band going toward programs that help people get skills they need to get good jobs,” Pink said. “He was very focused on the idea of helping people.”
GRCC leaders presented Hetfield with gifts including a decorative steel guitar crafted by welding professors.
GRCC is one of 10 colleges selected nationwide for the Metallica Scholars grant. The is using the funding to launch a welding program targeted toward nontraditional students.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.
