Jewelers Mutual Commits $10 Million to SCAD for Bench-Jeweler Training

Jewelers Mutual® Group’s $10 million, 10-year commitment to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is designed to expand the pipeline of commercial-ready bench jewelers and ease hiring pressure across retail and manufacturing. The fund combines an endowed Bench Education Endowment (B.E.E.) with an annual scholarship program, upgraded facilities and a naming gift to SCAD’s jewelry building.

The announcement, datelined NEENAH, Wis., Feb. 24, 2026 and distributed via PR Newswire Feb. 25, 2026, describes the partnership as an impact investment that will modernize jewelry-making technology and curriculum at what the release calls “the largest and most comprehensive [jewelry program] in North America.” Jewelers Mutual, described in the release as “the insurer and business solutions provider dedicated to the jewelry industry since 1913,” framed the funding as the most substantial contribution to date for SCAD’s jewelry program.

SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace set the institutional tone for the gift, saying, “The future of jewelry just got brighter, thanks to this historic partnership between SCAD and Jewelers Mutual, which promises to transform the lives of so many Bees—and the entire jewelry profession, now growing four times faster than any other luxury sector.” Wallace added, “The biggest and best jewelry design program on the planet is now even better: with more elite resources and scholarships and more SCAD brilliance in the talent pipeline. The jewelry industry is in very good hands!”

Industry context elevates the urgency behind the gift. Rapaport’s coverage of the announcement cites a recent workforce study reporting that 4,000 new bench jewelers are needed every year to maintain capacity and that more than 70% of jewelers intended to hire bench jewelers but had difficulty finding qualified candidates. Rapaport also defined bench jewelers as the skilled craftspeople who “fabricate, mend and restore fine pieces at the most sensitive stage of the jewelry value chain.”

Scott Murphy, Jewelers Mutual CEO, tied the funding directly to workforce development, saying, “Supporting the future of the jewelry industry means investing in the people who will sustain it. We are committed to helping close the bench-jeweler talent gap by supporting education that prepares students for real-world careers and strengthens the industry for generations to come.”

Program specifics named in the release include the Bench Education Endowment (B.E.E.) by Jewelers Mutual Endowed Scholarship fund, an annual scholarship program, enhancements to academic programming and curriculum development, upgrades to jewelry-making equipment, expanded facilities and mechanisms to connect students with internships, apprenticeships and permanent positions. FashionUnited framed the gift as aligning with Jewelers Mutual’s Impact Fund, which supports education and innovation across the jewelry sector.

With a stated goal to double SCAD’s jewelry program enrollment by 2030, the 10-year, $10 million pledge establishes a measurable benchmark for results. If the deployment matches the release’s ambitions, the funding could materially change how retailers, manufacturers and designers find trained bench jewelers and how SCAD graduates enter the trade. Rapaport’s coverage included an image caption noting “Jewelry making at Savannah College of Art and Design image,” underscoring the hands-on training the investment aims to scale.