Donors, students and faculty celebrate at scholarship reception
New scholarships, people, and a pillar of the department’s advisory board were all celebrated during the annual Civil Engineering Professional Advisory Council (CEPAC) Scholarship Reception and Awards Dinner on Nov. 14.
Through the generosity of donors and partners, the Department of Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering awarded 64 students with scholarships, which helps UIC with its mission to provide access to excellent education and success for students. The event also allowed students to meet and network with their scholarship donors and corporate representatives.
A new scholarship, CEPAC25 Scholarship, was awarded this year, which was created to mark 25 years of the department’s advisory board. The board was established in 1999, and its members include professional practitioners — many of whom are UIC alumni — and civil engineering faculty members. Its ranks include leaders in the construction, environmental, geotechnical, materials, structures, transportation, and water resources fields, and it represents private companies and government agencies throughout the Chicago region. It is geared toward enhancing the undergraduate experience by creating connections for UIC students in the professional community, providing an industry perspective on the curriculum, and participating in student projects and activities.
“We are extremely lucky to have a group of leaders and stakeholders in the Chicago region who are volunteering their time to serve our department as they help us identify the direction that we need to take the curriculum based on the needs of the industries,” Professor and Department Head Abolfazl “Kouros” Mohammadian said. “They also contribute a lot to the scholarships being awarded today.”
Student Genesis Rivera Rodriguez was awarded the inaugural CEPAC25 Scholarship and expressed her appreciation for the scholarship and the reception.
“It means a lot to get the burden of having to pay out of pocket for school lifted, and allows us to focus on classes,” said student Genesis Rivera Rodriguez, who was awarded the inaugural CEPAC 25 Scholarship. “I’ve met a lot of people within the construction industry, and it was good to make those connections at this event.”
In addition to students, Assistant Professor Aslihan Karatas and Clinical Assistant Professor Farid Peiravian were awarded the Chris and Susan Burke Faculty Teaching Award, which recognizes faculty members who have impacted students and committed to their personal and academic success.
Honoring a Leader
During the reception, Ken Nelson was honored for his contributions to CEPAC. Nelson is a UIC alumnus, the former chairman of CEPAC, and spearheaded the effort to establish the CEPAC25 Scholarship.
“We are very thankful for all the CEPAC members and the people who established it 25 years ago Professor [Robert] Bryant and Ken Nelson, who was the first CEPAC chair for 20 years,” Mohammadian said.
“Ken led us for many years in CEPAC, and the department has grown tremendously, and it has been a great collaboration between industry and the department,” added CME graduate Matt Hoffman, who serves as the chairperson of CEPAC and is an engineer with Christopher B. Burke Engineering.
After receiving a plaque commemorating his service to CEPAC, Nelson offered some advice for the students.
“When you graduate and start to work, look for ways to give back. Get involved in your university, get involved in where you live. It’s very important. Engineers are really wanted for their technical skills and objective approach,” he said.
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Professor Dusan Krajcinovic Scholarship
Ruby Cardenas and Kelly Sanchez Moretta
UIC Credit 1 Engineering Scholarship Fund
Emad Alkhashani, Stephanie Bonilla, Lucio Chaidez, Juan Chiu, Valerie Cruz, Noe Luevano, Sammi Saba, Daniel Salem, and Eve Maali
Olive C and Alfred L. Kuehn Scholarship
Christian Alcantara, Emad Alkhashani, Alvaro Alvarez, Zachary Barwock, Lucio Chaidez, Juan Chiu, Quinton George, Wael Hassan, Sicong Pei, Noe Luevano, Aidan Povilaitis, Sammi Saba, Nathan Sanchez, Grant Welch, and Dominik Wieckowicz
Robert H. Bryant Scholarship Fund
Sicong Pei and Wael Hassan
L.J. Halbert Merit Scholarship
Sammi Saba
UIC CEPAC Scholarship
Christian Alcantara, Lydia Vulich, and Gabriela Weffer
UIC Harold R. Sandberg Scholarship Fund
Su Nuam, Tisa Patel, Amelia Perisho, and Nathan Sanchez
Rose L. Vedral Scholarship
Lucio Chaidez
Kasi Charitable Foundation Scholarship
Aidan Povilaitis, Genesis Rivera Rodriquez, Sammi Saba, Daniel Salem, and Wael Hassan
UIC Brindley Scholarship Fund
Sicong Pei
Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association Jerry Leifheit Memorial Scholarship
Samantha Lopez
Samartano & Company/Henry Marek Scholarship
Kelly Sanchez Moretta
Richard A. Cohn Scholarship for Women in Engineering
Ruby Cardenas and Genesis Rivera Rodriquez
Kenneth E. Nelson Scholarship
Zachary Barwock, Melanie Diaz, Aidan Povilaitis, and Daniel Salem
Thomas and Romana Ting Scholarship
Lucio Chaidez
Jose DeLeon Scholarship
Gabriela Weffer
Nancy Anderson Holmes Scholarship
Janet Lozoya
Sargeant & Lundy Scholarship
Zachary Barwock, Juan Chiu, Melanie Diaz, Anjanette Francisco, Wael Hassan, Eve Maali, Noe Luevano, and Aidan Povilaitis
Rosemary Burke Scholarship
Emily Fallaw