Scholarships
Congratulations to all our 2024 scholarship winners!
Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship
The recipient of the Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship for Graduates in the amount of $5,000 is Na Yoon Heo.
Na Yoon Heo is a graduate student at UT Austin, studying transportation in the Civil Engineering department, and is also a public official in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) of South Korea. Throughout her career, she has focused on shaping policies to improve transportation. This has been technically and politically challenging, requiring accurate feasibility analyses and effective stakeholder coordination.
As a woman engineer, she has strived to be a role model for my colleagues, to break barriers, and to support women in engineering. Studying at UT and connecting with colleagues through WTS has been a fortunate experience that has given her confidence and vision in leading the transportation field.
Looking ahead, she aims to contribute to global policies and strategies by working in international organizations such as the ITF, World Bank, and UN ESCAP. This WTS scholarship is a meaningful milestone in my journey, enhancing my confidence and expanding my network and perspective.
Sharon D. Banks Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship
The recipient of the Sharon D. Banks Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 is Sarah Chu.
Sarah Chu is a sophomore from Austin, Texas, studying civil engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. She wants to contribute to the sustainability of the transportation industry. She hopes to serve as a leader in a civil engineering company to empower women and people of color to take on leadership roles.
Her interest in civil engineering began in a high school class, and she was able to join the ACE program, which connected her to mentors and WTS. In past summers, she has had the opportunity to intern with Halff on Public Works and with TxDOT's Materials and Tests Division and is looking forward to continuing to learn. Above all, Sarah enjoys giving back to the Austin community through her service organization and pouring into the next generation of engineers and leaders.
Molitoris Leadership Scholarship for Undergraduates
The recipient of the Molitoris Leadership Scholarship for Undergraduates in the amount of $5,000 is Busra Dokmen.
Busra Dokmen is a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin studying environmental engineering and business. She is passionate about sustainability and finding ways to serve her community through engineering.
Jannet Walker-Ford Leadership Legacy for Graduates
The recipient of the Jannet Walker-Ford Leadership Legacy for Graduates in the amount of $5,000 is Zahara Maktabi.
Zahra Maktabi is a master’s student in Transportation Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering. Zahra holds an M.S. in Structural Engineering and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from her country, Iran. She is a Graduate Research Assistant advised by Dr. Randy B. Machemehl. Her research is focused on freight transportation, particularly route assignments for heavy-loading trucks in the Austin district. Her work can provide the information needed to prioritize proactive pavement maintenance for more effective use of tax dollars. Another project she is working on involves assessing the performance of different video detection products, specifically emphasizing safety analysis for vulnerable users by identifying near misses, red light runners, and other safety issues. She is also involved in WTS, ITE, and ITS student chapters and serves as the WTS president.
Beyond her academic pursuits, she has passionately advocated for women's rights within three villages near her hometown. Actively involved in raising awareness, her focus has been empowering young girls to assert their rights and pursue education.
In her free time, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family and friends. Exploring Austin’s nature with her puppy is another passion of hers.
TransportationYOU Scholarship
The recipient of the TransportationYOU Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 is Varshini Loganathan.
Varshini Loganathan is a senior at Westwood High School and will double major in computer science and biomedical engineering at Rice University in the fall. This scholarship will allow her to pursue her education with the support of WTS, which aims to advance women in transportation.
Friends of WTS / WTS Heart of Texas Foundation Scholarship
The recipient of the WTS Heart of Texas Foundation Graduate Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 is Ms. Angela Haddad
Angela Haddad is a Ph.D. candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, specializing in Transportation Engineering and Econometrics. Before her doctoral studies, she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil and environmental engineering at the American University of Beirut.
As a Graduate Research Assistant at UT Austin, Angela engages in multidisciplinary research that integrates engineering, data science, and social justice principles. Since 2021, she has been involved in cutting-edge work encompassing advanced statistical and econometric modeling, transportation equity, pedestrian safety, automated pedestrian detection technologies, and analysis of consumer choice behaviors.
Angela's contributions to research include publications in top-tier journals and presentations at prestigious transportation-focused conferences.
Friends of WTS Scholarship
The recipient of the Friends of WTS Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 is Ananya Arora.
Ananya Arora is a senior at Anderson High School majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a possible minor in Business and Public Policy at the University of Texas at Austin on a pre-med track.
She aspires to change the healthcare interface as we know it today by improving accessibility to preventative medical care worldwide. This would be a stepping stone to tackling the global health challenges that are being seen at an accelerating pace and becoming the voice for those marginalized.
With experience as part of the Austin Youth Climate Equity Council, she has seen the necessity of mitigating the negative health impacts of the lack of greenspaces and inadequate public transportation to improve communities' well-being.
This WTS Scholarship will help Ananya collaborate with public health experts, urban planners, and architects to boost public transit accessibility, optimize transit routes and facilities, and facilitate constant connections between the entirety of a city and green spaces.
Friends of WTS Scholarship
The recipient of the Friends of WTS Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 is Joyce You.
Joyce You is an incoming freshman at Texas A&M University, where she will be majoring in General Engineering. She plans to follow the Computer Science track and aspire to become an algorithm engineer.
Joyce was highly involved in volunteer work and fencing in high school. She volunteered frequently with the Austin Humane Society and was an active member of her high school's PALS program. She plans to join Texas A&M's fencing club.
Do you have any questions about the scholarship materials, the application process, or becoming a sponsor?
Please contact the Heart of Texas Scholarship Co-Chairs at [email protected] and [email protected] or by phone:
Brittani Kaim at 737-703-3863
Stephen Johnson at 512-485-0030