Three CSEE students receive ASCE Buffalo Scholarships

By Peter Murphy

Three undergraduate students in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering have been awarded scholarships from the Buffalo section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

The Paul J. Koessler Scholarship is presented on behalf of the ASCE and the Peace Bridge Authority. This scholarship honors Paul Koessler, former chairman of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority and former president and chief operating officer of Greater Buffalo Press. He was devoted to Buffalo and Western New York; a very involved civic leader serving on numerous boards and committees.

Wil Nagengast, a senior and civil engineering major, received the $5,000 Paul J. Koessler Scholarship for his academic achievement, active participation in student organizations and activities while pursuing a civil engineering degree. Nagengast has participated as a member of the UB ASCE Steel Bridge Design Team.

“This is a great scholarship opportunity for UB students and we are fortunate that the Peace Bridge Authority and the ASCE Buffalo Section have made this possible,” said Athena Hutchins, Scholarship Committee co-chair.

Maria Camilla Lopez Ruiz, a junior civil engineering major, received the 2017 Julian Snyder Endowment Fund, Student Scholarship of $1,000. Lopez is the current fundraising chair for the UB ASCE Student Chapter and is involved in everything the chapter does and all of its service activities. The scholarship is awarded to a student for academic achievement and participation in student organizations while pursuing a degree in civil engineering.

The ASCE $750 Student of the Year Award was presented to graduating senior and civil engineering major Jessica Cobti. She is the current outreach chairperson for the UB ASCE. Cobti is also president of the UB Society of Women Engineers, and participates in a number of outreach activities and volunteer events. The Student of the Year Award recipient is selected by UB faculty in recognition of academic achievement, leadership and active participation in UB’s ASCE Student Chapter.

The Buffalo Section of the ASCE was founded in 1921 and represents over 500 civil engineers and engineering students around Western New York and throughout New York State. The Buffalo Section offers continuous support to the local engineering community.

“Faculty from the civil engineering department make recommendations. They discuss it and come up with the award winners,” said John Danzer, co-chair of the Scholarship Committee and past president of the ASCE Buffalo Section. "We recommend the faculty considers: academic achievement and activity in student organizations.”

The students received their awards at a UB ASCE Student Chapter meeting on March 29, 2017.