WTS Philadelphia proudly awards scholarships to outstanding students from high school through graduate school who are passionate about pursuing careers in transportation. These highly competitive awards recognize students for their academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to advancing the future of transportation. This year, we awarded a total of $25,000 in scholarships to support and celebrate the next generation of transportation leaders and innovators.

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Jocelin Mayorga
Widener University     
WTS Philadelphia Primera Foundation Scholarship 

Jocelin, a Civil Engineering major at Widener University, a recipient of the Primera Foundation Scholarship, shares her background and plans for the future. 

I grew up in the same house in Los Angeles, California, my whole life. Even though LA is a beautiful place, I have always been curious to explore new states and opportunities. I have played softball my entire life, which gave me the chance to travel to other states for tournaments and inspired me to move across the country to continue my athletic and academic career. I spent most of my childhood with my dad, who is a contractor, and many of his siblings are engineers, which influenced my early interest in the field. By fourth grade, I knew I wanted to become an engineer and play softball at the collegiate level. During my junior year of high school, I took an Engineering 101 class in which I completed a bridge design project using various materials within a set budget, and that experience made me fall in love with civil engineering, especially bridges. I graduated high school with a 3.9 GPA, earning the Physics and Chemistry Awards, I placed on the Principal’s Honor Roll all four years, and was active in Student Council, softball, cross country, and CrossFit competitions. Currently, I am a sophomore Civil Engineering major at Widener University with a 3.92 GPA, a member of the Dean’s List, the Engineering Honors Program, and the Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society, having ranked in the top 20% of my class. I am also involved with ASCE and am becoming a new member of WTS. My growing interest lies in transportation engineering because I love seeing the big picture of how systems connect and improve people’s everyday lives. As a first-generation woman in STEM, I take great pride in my achievements and use my determination, focus, and resilience to keep pushing forward. Nothing has ever been handed to me, but that has only made me stronger and more motivated to achieve my dreams and lead by example in the transportation industry.

1.    What inspired you to pursue your current field of study or career path?

My interest in engineering started early from being around my dad, who works in construction, and other family members in engineering. That exposure made me curious about how structure and systems come together. In high school, taking an Engineering 101 class and completing a bridge project really confirmed that I enjoyed it. Since then, I’ve been especially drawn to transportation because of how it connects systems and impacts everyday life. 

2.    What does receiving this scholarship mean to you?

This scholarship means a lot to me both financially and personally. As a first-generation college student, I would benefit from reduced financial stress in pursuing my degree. It also represents recognition of the hard work I’ve put in and the hard work my parents put in to get me here. It motivates me to keep pushing towards my goals in the transportation field. 

3.    Why do you think transportation is important to communities?

Transportation is essential because it allows people to access jobs, education, and important services. It plays a big role in how communities function and grow. Strong transportation systems can improve safety, efficiency, and overall quality of life, which is why I’m passionate about contributing to that impact.