Corporate Partner Creates New Endowed Scholarship for Student Apprentices

​The Eibach Foundation made a $100,000 gift to establish an endowed scholarship for student apprentices. The scholarship, named to honor one of the parent company owners, is the first of its kind to be created at the RCCD Foundation. 

The Nina Eibach Memorial Endowed Scholarship will support students enrolled at any of the RCCD colleges who are participating in apprenticeships through the LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network. LAUNCH serves as an intermediary and education provider for businesses adopting an apprenticeship model in partnership with the region's business community, workforce development boards, and school districts. Eibach has been a LAUNCH corporate partner for several years.

The Eibach Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation founded in November of 2012 by Wilfried and Nina Eibach. The Eibachs have a passion for business entrepreneurship and for giving back to the communities where they do business. Through their foundation, the Eibachs support organizations that make positive impact on young people. Their relationship with LAUNCH was the impetus for their gift to RCCD.

“It has been a privilege to develop talent here in the Inland Empire with Eibach," Charles Henkels, executive director of LAUNCH, said.  “They lead in their industry by making great high-performance products, and they also lead in our community by creating opportunities for lifelong careers. Gifts like theirs will support growing professionals in our region and will strengthen the Inland Empire as a home for companies like Eibach to grow their businesses."

Beginning in 1987, Nina Eibach, working closely with her husband, Wilfried, built Eibach North America. She was involved in all major decisions and, together with her husband, built up distributors on the five continents. Nina thought and acted as entrepreneurially as her beloved husband, and they stayed true to the motto — the biggest risk can be to take none at all. She passed away in 2021, but her memory will live on through the Nina Eibach Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

“I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with the Eibach Foundation team to create this new endowment," Launa Wilson, executive director of the Foundation, said. “It is clear that the company values its partnership with our District, and I am honored that they selected RCCD to make such a significant charitable impact to honor Nina's legacy."

The RCCD Foundation Board of Directors is appreciative to the Eibach family and the Eibach Foundation for this generous gift. Anyone interested in learning more about establishing an endowed scholarship can contact the RCCD Foundation office at (951) 222-8626 or by email.​