Fredrick W. O'Neal III Skilled Trades Scholarship Fund

For Fredrick W. O’Neal III, the skilled trades were more than a career path - they were a pathway to opportunity, stability, purpose, and a life built through hard work. Fred experienced firsthand the impact that technical education and skilled work could have on a person’s future. A product of Triton College, where he studied engineering, Fred went on to build a long and accomplished career with the City of Chicago. Over the years, the knowledge, discipline, and experience he gained through his work became something he was passionate about passing on to others. Fred had a particular heart for young people who needed direction, opportunity, or simply someone willing to believe that their circumstances did not have to determine their future. He understood that the traditional four-year college path is not the only path to a successful and meaningful life. For many, the skilled trades can provide an opportunity to learn valuable skills, earn a sustainable living, find community, and build something they can be proud of. So Fred did more than talk about it. Throughout his life, he taught, mentored, encouraged, advocated for, and supported young men and women as they pursued skilled careers of their own. He wanted people - especially those who may have experienced a difficult start or felt uncertain about their future - to recognize that hard work, training, and opportunity could open doors they may never have imagined possible. Fredrick W. O’Neal III is no longer with us physically, but the work he cared so deeply about does not have to end with him. The Fredrick W. O’Neal III Skilled Trades Scholarship Fund was established to carry that work forward by investing directly in students pursuing careers in the skilled trades. Every contribution helps extend Fred’s legacy into another life—giving another student an opportunity to learn a trade, develop a craft, build a career, and create a future. Fred spent his life helping people build. Through this fund, he still can.