Academics

Student wins three scholarship awards for his efforts in civil engineering

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Thomas Pochatko, a junior in civil engineering at Penn State, was recently awarded three scholarships including the 2014-15 National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA) Scholarship, the 2015 American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) Scholarship — Southwest Region and the 2015 American Concrete Institute (ACI) Pittsburgh Chapter Art Livingood Scholarship.

“I'm grateful for being the recipient for all three scholarships this year,” Pochatko said. “It was a lot of work applying for them but it was worth it in the end.”

The NPCA Educational Foundation sponsors scholarships for deserving students pursuing a career related to the precast concrete industry. These careers include opportunities in manufacturing facilities, architectural fields, the specifying community, engineering firms and the general construction industry.

The ASHE Scholarship awards a total of $6,500 to three applicants based on the recommendation of the Scholarship Committee. This recommendation is based on an essay students write to describe how they envision their involvement will be with the development of highway systems once they graduate.

The Pittsburgh Chapter of the ACI offers Art Livingood Awards to three eligible students who have an interest in the areas of cement technology, concrete technology, design or construction.

“I plan on using the scholarship money to help pay for graduate school once I am finished with my undergrad,” Pochatko said.

After obtaining his bachelor’s degree, Pochatko would like to pursue either a master of engineering degree or a master of business administration and then work in the heavy highway construction industry. He would also like to obtain his professional engineer license and his professional land surveyor license. Eventually, he’d like to own his own business.

Pochatko is also the Concrete Canoe Team co-captain and president of the Penn State Student Chapter of the American Concrete Institute.

Last Updated April 3, 2015

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