The Deep Foundations Institute Educational Trust has awarded 24 scholarships totaling more than $60,000 to students pursuing careers in civil and geotechnical engineering.

“The trust’s scholarships provide significant financial support to student recipients so they can realize their dream of completing their undergraduate or graduate civil engineering education,” says Tracy Brettmann, PE, D.GE, chair of the trust and executive vice president of A.H. Beck Foundation Company. “College expenses continue to rise dramatically and so does the level of debt students take on in order to meet these costs. We are proud to be able to issue scholarships to students who require assistance — especially during these uncertain times.”

The following scholarship recipients were named in July:

  • Michael L. Condon Civil Engineering Scholarship ($5,000), Kaitlyn Fisher, senior, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
  • Francis Gularte Scholarship ($2,500), Isabelle Brafford, junior, Clemson University
  • Fred H. Kulhawy Memorial Scholarship Fund ($2,500), Luke Koski, senior, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
  • John O’Malley Civil Engineering Scholarship ($5,000), Dawson Allen, junior, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
  • Terracon Consultants Scholarship ($2,000), Joelle Westcott, freshman, University of Colorado Boulder
  • Thomas J. Wysockey Civil Engineering Scholarship ($5,000 each), Nicholas Sepcic, junior, University of Pittsburgh, and Hunter VanSchoubroek, senior, Texas A&M University

The trust also awarded General Scholarships of $2,000 each, supported by the Charles J. Berkel Memorial Scholarship Fund, to:

  • Reed Aitken, freshman, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
  • Austin Cornell, junior, Washington State University
  • Kyler Cruz, junior, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
  • Samuel Follett, graduate student, University of California, Davis
  • Zachary Howard, senior, University of South Carolina
  • Russell Jacobs, junior, University of Pittsburgh
  • Leah Jamison, junior, University of Maryland, College Park
  • Tyler Kleinsasser, graduate student, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
  • Jessica Lewis, senior, Mississippi State University
  • Tiffany Meeks, freshman, North Dakota State University
  • Anna Norris, senior, Mississippi State University
  • Taylor Reiheld, freshman, Kent State University  
  • Anna Shidlovskaya, graduate student, Texas A&M University
  • Samantha Stevens, junior, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
  • Natori Thomas, freshman, Kent State University
  • Anh Tran, graduate student, University of Arkansas
  • Shaylin Venitelli, junior, New York City College of Technology

The DFI Educational Trust manages 18 scholarship programs funded by endowments, donations and fundraising events. Since 2006, the Trust has awarded $1.25 million in scholarships to more than 400 students studying at colleges and universities across the United States and the province of Ontario, Canada.

The DFI Education Trust is an independent non-profit established in 2006 by the DFI to support and encourage study in fields related to the deep foundations industry. It provides scholarships and opportunities to meet and work with leaders in the industry. Find out more at www.dfitrust.org.

The DFI is an international association of contractors, engineers, academics and suppliers in the deep foundations industry with more than 3,500 members worldwide. For more information about the Deep Foundations Institute, visit www.dfi.org.