Louisiana students awarded scholarships by SASHTO and DOTD
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 12:13:11 PM
Baton Rouge – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC), in association with the Southeastern Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (SASHTO), have awarded scholarships to 10 students from five Louisiana universities. The $1,000 scholarships are given to civil engineering juniors and seniors with a professed interest in the transportation field, and students must apply each year to be considered. SASHTO provides the funding for the scholarships.
“We are pleased to award these scholarships to these deserving students across our universities,” said DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D. “I look forward to the talent and dedication they will bring to each school’s civil engineering programs and hope that one day they will bring their knowledge to Louisiana’s transportation and engineering industries.”
Students who receive the scholarships must be in good academic standing at their respective universities, and their grade point averages are taken into consideration when their applications are reviewed. Each prospective scholarship recipient must also submit a one-page description stating how their university courses reflect their interest in transportation. Those students who have participated in DOTD’s summer engineering and co-op programs receive extra credit.
The students who received scholarships are the following:
• Louisiana Tech University – Sydney Bratton, Jacob Hampton and Zach Hill
• Louisiana State University – Hiruni Fernando and Olivia Kilpatrick
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette – Bailey Bergeron, Matthew Tassin and Aaron Enlund
• McNeese State University – Breanna Cross
• Southern University – Rossano Bailey
"The talented students of today will be the great engineers and leaders for the transportation industry tomorrow,” said Dr. Les Guice, President of La Tech University. “The support of SASHTO - and their recognition of these outstanding students for their academic and experiential achievements - helps inspire them to more creative endeavors that will benefit our state as a whole. As a civil engineer, I am grateful for the support of SASHTO and look forward to seeing the contributions of these students in their future careers and communities.”
"We are extremely proud of Ms. Rossano for this great accomplishment," said Southern University President-Chancellor Ray L. Belton. "Her selection is a further testament of Southern University’s student success and contributions to fostering professionals to serve this great state, nation and beyond. Thank you to our valued state agencies for recognizing the value of engineering and other STEM-related disciplines, and for supporting students who choose these pathways."
“Bailey, Matthew and Aaron personify the strength of our civil engineering program, and the University is grateful to DOTD, the Louisiana Transportation Research Center and the Southeastern Association of State Highway Transportation Officials for recognizing these students’ academic achievements and supporting their professional aspirations,” said Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president. “I am confident they will complete their degrees well prepared to offer transportation and infrastructure solutions for communities throughout our state and nation. These scholarships embolden their road to success.”
“We appreciate the DOTD, the Louisiana Transportation Research Center and the Southeastern Association of State Highway Transportation Officials for selecting McNeese civil engineering major Breanna Cross for this award. Providing scholarships to talented students with an interest in the transportation field encourages them to pursue their career goal and to become leaders in the transportation industry. McNeese has an exceptionally strong engineering program and we are proud of the many graduates that are working for the DOTD,” said Dr. Daryl Burckel, McNeese State University President.
Louisiana participates in the scholarship program as a member state of SASHTO. In addition to Louisiana, SASHTO is comprised of the departments of transportation from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. The association was organized to encourage a balanced transportation system across the southern United States.