Hard work leads to two scholarships
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A strong work ethic and persistence are paying off for College of Engineering student Matthew Fratu. The undergraduate recently received a $1,000 Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Scholarship and a $5,000 American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)/Associated Steel Erectors of Chicago Scholarship.
“Receiving the scholarships means that I can have financial peace of mind this year and is an amazing reminder that my hard work is paying off. I can focus less on working to cover my expenses and more on ensuring that I complete my degree to the best of my abilities,” said Fratu, who is slated to graduate with a degree in civil engineering in May.
In addition to earning scholarships for his academic performance, Fratu gained real-world experience through an internship with the Connect Chicago Alliance – employed by Schamburg-based GSG Consultants – working on the O’Hare 21 Project, which is a multi-billion-dollar improvement plan to modernize Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport into a world-class international gateway.
“My classes in structural engineering and transportation engineering came in handy and aided me in understanding the design considerations required for projects at an active airport,” he said.
Fratu had a variety of responsibilities that included mapping out O’Hare’s terminals and baggage handling system with a 360-degree camera; preparing exhibits using Civil 3D at the request of project managers; and verifying that the requests for subcontractor approvals were correctly filled out and submitted.
“The CME program has prepared me for professional employment by equipping me with a sound foundation of engineering knowledge that I built over the summer and will continue to build once I graduate. CME introduces students to a diverse range of disciplines, including structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, and construction management. These disciplines interlock on any given project, and as a result, I was able to implicate myself in multiple domains during my internship,” Fratu said.