Corvias and Wayne State Award Scholarships for 2025-26 School Year
An infrastructure solutions firm based in Warwick, Rhode Island, Corvias partners with the US military and over a dozen institutions of higher learning to develop housing, energy, and other essential facilities that empower individuals and connect communities. The name Corvias is derived from the Latin phrase “by way of the heart” and reflects the company’s central philosophy—to put one’s entire heart into creating a better and more efficient future for society.
Corvias has partnered with the US Armed Forces for 20 years and has made great strides in clearing infrastructure backlogs and developing sustainable housing solutions for the military and its servicemembers. For example, after Corvias became involved in US military infrastructure, billions of dollars’ worth of maintenance backlogs were cleared; at Fort Meade, occupancy rates soared from around 70% to 93% in just 60 days as a result.
Corvias also supports the implementation of solar power facilities on US military bases, in keeping with the Department of Defense’s renewable energy goals. Thus far, the company has accomplished half of its stated goal of building out 70 megawatts of solar power for the military.
In addition to its work with the military, Corvias is deeply invested in providing solutions for college and university infrastructure challenges. The company is one of the largest student housing providers in the US and is currently active on 15 campuses in six states. As with its other partnerships, Corvias approaches its student housing projects through its trademarked Solutions Through Partnerships® strategy, demonstrating its commitment to innovation, collaboration, and community building.
Throughout all its projects and interactions with clients, Corvias upholds customer service as a top priority. It is proactive in making the company an enjoyable, supportive place to work and encourages employees to give back to their communities through paid time off for volunteerism. In total, Corvias employees have volunteered more than 35,000 hours in their communities.
Corvias Foundation: Giving Back to Military Families
Corvias also gives back through the Corvias Foundation, established in 2006 by company founder John Picerne. The foundation has a primary aim of empowering military families to pursue higher education, learning, and professional development. To this end, the foundation has provided more than $15 million in scholarships to military spouses and children. The foundation also works closely with like-minded partners in supporting the educational goals of military families, including the National Military Family Association and the Army Scholarship Foundation.
Corvias Foundation also operates support platforms for military families, including Opportunity Hubs, which provide resources for literacy support, college guidance, professional guidance, scholarship advice, and K-12 academic success programs.
Supporting College Students at Wayne State
On October 15, 2025, Corvias announced the recipients of the Wayne State Corvias Endowed Scholarship Awards for the academic year 2025-26. In partnership with Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, Corvias has provided $12,500 scholarships to students Jaafar Aljeraiw and Lee Bonnette.
The students will be able to use the funds to cover on-campus room and board, tuition, and related fees. In addition, they will also have access to mentoring, networking, and a variety of supportive services.
Lee Bonnette is a first-year music technology student from Bay City, Michigan. He is excited to begin his studies and live on campus in Thompson Home, where he’ll be well positioned to take advantage of the many arts amenities within this residence hall, on the Wayne State campus, and in the larger Detroit community. Renovated in 2016, the historic Thompson Home includes dorm rooms and special spaces for the arts, including gallery space, collaboration room with a floor-to-ceiling writing wall, video editing studio, sound-insulated musical practice booths, and a community room with a sprung floor for the performing arts.
“This scholarship lets me focus on my studies and not worry about how I’ll pay for housing,” Bonnette said in a press statement. “Staying in Wayne State housing is a great experience and it's awesome to be living right in Detroit.”
Students like Bonnette are eligible for the Wayne State Corvias Endowed Scholarship Award if they maintain a 3.0 GPA, enroll in a full-time load of classes, reside on campus, and demonstrate financial need. Corvias established the endowment and scholarship program in 2018 with a $1 million contribution. Committed to a 10-year scholarship program, Corvias anticipates supporting 80 students over the course of the project.
Dr. Laurie M. Lauzon Clabo is the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Wayne State. Upon the announcement of the 2025-26 scholarship recipients, she said, “We appreciate our partnership with Corvias and their continued investment in our students’ success. Students who choose to live on Wayne State’s vibrant, urban campus take full advantage of the opportunities and resources available to them at the university and throughout Detroit. We are so excited for Jaafar, Lee, and all Corvias scholarship recipients who call our campus home.”