Congratulations to Shelby Gustafson, the recipient of the Bolton Family Scholarship. This $5,000 scholarship was established in 2024 to pay tribute to the significant contributions that the Boltons have provided to the construction industry and the dedicated service they have provided to the employees of Arden Building Companies.
The scholarship honors the family’s dedicated volunteer work within the communities they service in Rhode Island, notably their efforts in aiding children from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking backgrounds in mastering the English language within the school system and their improvements with the Ronald McDonald House. The scholarship embodies the values of service, community engagement and support for those in need that have been integral to the Bolton family’s legacy.
Shelby is studying Construction Management at California State University, Chico and is expecting to graduate in May 2026. She has served her student chapter as Vice President and has interned with MCAA Member, ACCO Engineered Systems since 2023.
“To me, it seems like there’s never a dull moment in mechanical construction. There is always something new to learn or a new code to adhere to. Being at the forefront of sustainability and energy efficiency, I am confident that the industry will be ever expanding for years to come. The ever-developing systems create a challenge themselves along with other factors affecting it. Even just learning how the systems work fascinates me. The simple complexity of it all has made me fall in love with it from the beginning.
Throughout the summer I was busy and having the time of my life. The project team I was with was extremely helpful and I liked how much they trusted me to perform work for them. I felt valuable to the team at ACCO and not just a paper pusher. I also loved a lot of the job sites they allowed me to bid out. My favorite part of the summer was doing quantity take offs for a data center and a quantum computer project. Already getting to be a part of these life changing systems has made me even more enthusiastic to pursue a career in mechanical contracting.”
MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulate Shelby on this prestigious scholarship and thank the Bolton Family and Arden Building Companies for their commitment to supporting students interested in pursuing a career in the mechanical contracting industry.
