2009 Scholarship Recipients

For more than a decade, the NPCA Educational Foundation has provided educational scholarships to undergraduate students enrolled in a civil engineering and construction-related curriculum. The foundation’s philosophy is to introduce the features and benefits of precast concrete products and create a more educated specifying community.

Recipients of the 2009 scholarships, in the amount of $2,200 per year (up to four years) are:

Alex Foldenauer, Midlothian, Virginia
Alex is currently a sophomore at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering. In high school, Alex won numerous awards for leadership, sports and academics. He has continued his academic success in college while still actively volunteering in his community. His work experience includes internships with an architecture firm, a grading contractor and a precast concrete producer. Alex was sponsored by Patrick Pennell of Tindall Corporation.

Rebecca Jackson, Wilmington, Delaware
 Rebecca is a senior in high school, planning to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology and major in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She has participated in a variety of science and engineering contests and events throughout her high school career while building an impressive academic record. Rebecca also actively volunteers in her community and around the country with Habitat for Humanity and an assortment of other organizations. Rebecca was sponsored by Kevin Sockriter of National Concrete Products.

Lucas Johnson, Knoxville, Tennessee
Lucas is a sophomore at Auburn University pursuing a Building Science degree. He is very interested in the LEED accreditation program and other environmental issues. Lucas has a strong academic record and hopes to obtain a Masters Degree in a construction-related field. His outside activities include Habitat for Humanity, Young Life and starting his own lawn maintenance business. In high school, Lucas played football and baseball, earning awards in both. Lucas was sponsored by Eric Barger of C.R. Barger & Sons, inc.

Michael Loy, Portland Oregon
Michael is a senior in high school planning to attend Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California. He has won local, national and international awards for his science and engineering projects and research. Most recently, he won second place in the Intel Science and Engineering Fair International Competition with a research project titled “Developing a Novel pH Buffer Methodology to Inhibit Concrete Corrosion”. Michael is also actively involved with his school jazz band and lacrosse team. He participates in his church youth group and the Japanese-American Citizens League. Michael was sponsored by Douglas Bowen of Bowco Industries, Inc.

2008 Scholarship Recipients

Alexander Behnaz, Oak Hill, Virginia
Alex is currently a freshman at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He graduated in the top 10% of his senior class in 2007, winning awards as an AP Scholar and from the physics department of his high school. Alex has been active in robotics clubs and competition, scouting, skiing and snowboarding clubs. He is majoring in electrical engineering at GMU and hopes to work in quality control and manufacturing systems after graduation. Alex was sponsored by Paul Sherman of Oldcastle Precast, Inc. in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Stephanie Grannetino, Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
Stephanie is a junior at Philadelphia University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pursuing a degree in architecture. In addition to making the Dean’s List for excellent grades, Stephanie has won awards for writing and architectural drawing while at the university. She works for the university in a work study program, has an internship with an architectural firm and does CAD and database work for A.C. Miller Concrete Products, Inc., an NPCA member and her sponsor. Stephanie hopes to work for a sustainable firm specializing in the energy efficiency of buildings and the building process after completing her degree. She was sponsored by Ramzi Kawar of A.C. Miller Concrete Products, Inc.

Juan Quintero, Duluth, Georgia
Juan is a senior at Duluth High School, planning to pursue a civil engineering degree at Georgia Institute of Technology beginning this fall. He has been active in service, social, academic and athletic organizations in his school and community while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average during high school. Juan hopes to own his own construction company, offering programs to improve the lives of Latino workers in the industry. His efforts on behalf of the Latino community have earned him the praise and respect of his teachers and peers. Juan was sponsored by Clay Warner, iwi group, LLC.

Charles Smith, South Lyon, Michigan
Charles is a sophomore at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He earned accolades for academics and athletics in high school, and continues to earn excellent grades at the university. His major is civil engineering with a structural engineering emphasis. Charles has completed one summer internship with the Michigan Department of Transportation and hopes to continue the experience this summer. He plans to obtain his Master of Science in Engineering before embarking on a career involving the design and construction of assorted building projects. Charles was sponsored by Barry Thornbury, Holcim (US) Inc.

2007 Scholarship Recipients

Taylor Hopper, Wallingford, Iowa
Taylor is currently a junior at Iowa State University, majoring in civil engineering. He is in the top 2% in the college of engineering while also volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics and Boy Scouts. Taylor has worked for several summers an intern doing surveying for the same firm and hopes to become a land surveyor upon completing his degree. Environmentally responsible development is of particular interest to him. Taylor was sponsored by Gary Schmidgall, Hancock Concrete Products Co., Inc.

John Myers, St. Louis, Missouri
John is pursuing a Master of Architecture degree at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. He graduated from high school in 2006, where he earned many honors for academics, athletics and service to the community. John hopes to work for a firm specializing in LEED design after completing his five year degree program and to eventually own his own architecture firm. John was sponsored by Jon Ohmes, Champion Precast, Inc.

Amy Shaw, Smyrna, Tennessee
Amy is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, majoring in civil engineering. After graduating first in her high school class in 2006, Amy has continued to earn excellent grades in college while participating in marching band and the pep band. She is active in the community, promoting awareness of child abuse. Amy is interested in designing layouts for new construction projects and is considering graduate school. She was sponsored by Mikel Brodnak, Oldcastle Precast, Inc. in Lebanon, Tennessee.

2006 Scholarship Recipients

FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

David Christopher, Moore, S.C.
Sponsored by Lee C. Brown, Tindall Corp.
David is currently a senior at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., and ranked third in his class. He plans to pursue a civil engineering degree when he begins college this fall. David received multiple academic honors throughout his high school career and received distinction in extracurricular activities including participation and leadership in high school band and Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training. David has been an active member in his church, holding several leadership roles there.

Renee Reder, Nashua, N.H.
Sponsored by Michael Worden, Concrete Systems Inc.
Renee is currently a senior at Nashua High School South and ranked first in her class of 554. She plans to pursue an architectural degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a five-year program. Renee has volunteered at her local City Hall Building Department where she conducted code comparisons and seismic design analysis of approximately 300 structures in downtown Nashua. Her interest in architecture led her to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Renee has been awarded numerous academic honors for high school scholarship and sets out for MIT in fall 2006 to one day start her own architectural firm.

Daniel Saint, Scottsboro, Ala.
Sponsored by Clark Drummond, AES Precast
Daniel is currently a senior at Scottsboro High School and plans to attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville where he will pursue a degree in civil engineering. Daniel spent six years in Mexico with his family performing missionary work where he helped teach English and worked as a teaching aid at a private institute in Ciudad Victoria. After returning to Alabama, Daniel’s accomplishments abounded in the classroom and in the sports arena. He has garnered several academic honors as well as track and field achievements while at Scottsboro High School.
TWO-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Elizabeth Reidler, Frederick, Md.
Sponsored by Greg Ouimette, Frederick Precast Concrete Inc.
Elizabeth is enrolled at Pennsylvania State University pursuing her bachelor’s degree in architecture and plans to begin a career in her field of study, specifically materiality in architecture. By taking unused, but common building materials, and applying them to home and office construction, Elizabeth hopes to reduce the cost of building residential and commercial structures. She has interned for six consecutive summers at a local architecture firm and worked as a nanny, orchestrating the lives of five children, for three summers. Elizabeth currently coaches a swim team in the early morning hours before class and offers private swim lessons at night.

ONE-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Andre Hawks, Calistoga, Calif.
Sponsored by Don Humphrey, Central Precast Concrete Inc.

Andre is enrolled at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in Construction Management. After graduation, Andre plans to enter the design-build field and follow through with his five-year plan. He hopes to earn professional licenses for Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Contractors all within five years after graduation. Andre is a member of national engineering societies and he volunteers his bilingual skills at Laguna Middle School as a Spanish-English tutor.

Ryan Ramey, New Era, Mich.
Sponsored by Jeff Babcock, Concrete Accessory Manufacturing
Ryan is enrolled at Ferris State (Michigan) University pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering Science. He plans to begin a career as a project manager after graduation. He is a member of the Associated Construction Students at Ferris, and volunteers his construction experience with public service initiatives such as Habitat for Humanity. Ryan is a member of national and state construction associations and was awarded numerous academic honors for both high school and college scholarships.

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