Meet The Via Scholars
The Via Scholarships are made possible through the generosity of the late Mrs. Marion Bradley Via of Roanoke, Virginia, and her family. In 1987, Mrs. Via contributed $5 million each to the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering. Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors subsequently named the ECE department in honor of Mrs. Via’s deceased father, Harry Lynde Bradley, and the CEE department in honor of her late husband, Charles E. Via, Jr. Mrs. Via died in 1993.
Both departments use a portion of the endowment to award scholarships to qualifying students. These scholarships are among the most competitive in the country. Since the Via endowment was created in 1987, the department has received more than $20 million in support.
We are proud to acknowledge that this is the 34th year of the Via endowment and the Via Report. We want to take this opportunity to recognize the current Via scholars as well as alumni that have come through the program for the last 33 years and continue to fulfill the mission set by the Via family.
Justice Forster
Hometown: Salem, Virginia
Career Goals: Following graduation, I would like to serve as a structural design engineer and eventually earn my PE. Long term, I would like to start and manage my own construction firm that focuses on infrastructure development in communities that lack the resources to meet their needs. With this basis, I would also like to optimize the process in which the community can become involved in this development.
Sarah Helms
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Career Goals: My desire for pursuing civil engineering comes from my passion for helping people through construction. I plan on pursuing a career in the construction industry as a project engineer working in residential or commercial construction.
John Stern
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Career Goals: I aspire to approach the next generation of civil engineering challenges with a focus on efficiency, sustainability, and the human consequences of my work. America’s road network is critical infrastructure and I would like to maintain and improve it. Transportation also motivates me because it connects people, places, and opportunities.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Heather Brouwer
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Michigan
Career Goals: My goal is to pursue a career in forensic stuctural engineering. I particularly wish to focus on the restoration and preservation of historic buildings. I also plan to earn my professional engineering license.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Riley Doyle
Hometown: Olney, Maryland
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Bucknell University
Career Goals: After earning my degree, I hope to earn my PE license by working at a consulting company or government on projects evolving around wastewater management.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Caitlyn Harris
Hometown: Midlothian, Texas
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Texas at Austin
Career Goals: I would love to continue to study water and wastewater treatment for as long as I can before moving into a career of engineering consulting or humanitarian work for the benefit of underdeveloped societies.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Elise Hummel
Hometown: Wallingford, Connecticut
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Lafyette College
Career Goals: After earning my Master’s degree, my goal is to work for a geotechnical design company focusing on large-scale and challenging coastal resiliency projects. I plan on obtaining my professional engineering license and being actively involved in professional organizations.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Hunter Hutton
Hometown: Marianna, Florida
Location of Undergraduate Studies: The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina
Career Goals: After earning my Master’s Degree my goal is to work for a Structural Engineering firm that specializes in complex bridge or building design while also pursuing my Professional Engineering License. I also hope to become an adjunct professor later in life.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCESS
Harrison Jaehn
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: After earning my Master’s degree, I plan to work as a climate adaptation engineer and develop resilience solutions for urban coastal communities grappling with climate change.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Olivia Janney
Hometown: Wenatchee, Washington
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Franciscan University of Steubenville/Catholic University of America
Career Goals: I plan on obtaining my P.E. license and working for a geotechnical design firm, providing technical support for innovative geostructural engineering projects. I aspire to be a leader in my field and a mentor for young engineers.professor later in life.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Alexandra Miller
Hometown: Smithsburg, Maryland
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Maryland, College Park
Career Goals: After getting my master’s degree I hope to work for a company as a water resources engineer, focusing on pollutant remediation in our waterways as well as watershed and stream restoration while working towards obtaining my P.E. licenses.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Morgan Oehler
Hometown: Elkridge, Maryland
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Maine
Career Goals: My goal after completion of my Mater’s degree is to work in the industry or a government agency on projects involving stream restoration and watershed management.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
David Provost
Hometown: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Pittsburgh
Career Goals: Upon completion of my Master’s degree, I aim to resume my career as a geotechnical engineer working on highway, bridge, and other transportation infrastructure projects while gaining enough experience to earn my Professional Engineering license.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Katherine Scott
Hometown: Wall, New Jersey
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Rutgers University
Career Goals: I hope to find a career applying research in water reuse to solve large-scale problems such as groundwater depletion.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Chantaly Villalona
Hometown: Newark, New Jersey
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Wellesley College
Career Goals: I am pursuing a graduate degree in order to gain entry to and work in the drinking water industry. Once in the drinking water industry, I aspire to aid in strengthening national water security and public understanding of our water systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Benajmin Winter
Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Military Institute
Career Goals: I hope to eventually obtain my P.E. licensure and work for a public entity where I can help develop sustainable water infrastructure for our communities and environment.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Ann Albright
Hometown: Louisville, Colorado
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Washington
Career Goals: I hope to continue within the field of academia. I plan to investigate reinforced concrete structures under variable loading through field and laboratory research while teaching and mentoring aspiring civil engineering students.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Megan Beever
Hometown: Stratham, New Hampshire
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: I hope to explore research opportunities in coastal resilience by working for the federal government or a university. After gaining work experience I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in civil engineering with a coastal engineering focus.
CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
Brooke Baugher
Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: Once I finish my Ph.D., I want to work on international development projects and teach engineering students about international engineering practices. My goal is to help create a more effective system within engineering which benefits student learning and impacts communities around the world.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Matthew Blair
Hometown: Clear Spring, Maryland
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Mississippi State University
Career Goals: After graduation, I would like to continue my work with water reuse systems and ultimately work in both industry and academic settings.
Nick Brilli
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Nick Brilli
Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: Obtain an M.S. and Ph.D. in civil engineering and eventually make a career doing research in coastal engineering.
Nick Brilli
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Thomas Carnes
Hometown: Lake Milton, Ohio
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Youngstown State University
Career Goals: After graduating, my goal is to continue in academia as a professor. As a professor, I would like to positively impact the civil engineering community by furthering the understanding of structural engineering through research and teaching future generations of civil engineers.neering.
Nick Brilli
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Zachary Coleman
Hometown: Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Lafayette College
Career Goals: After obtaining from Ph.D. my Virginia Tech, I aim to work in the engineering industry for a company specializing in the forensic analysis and repair of civil infrastructure. After this time, I may pursue a career in academia to help educate the next generation of young engineers.
Nick Brilli
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Abraham Cullom
Hometown: Leawood, Kansas
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Pittsburgh
Career Goals: I want to pursue an academic career through teaching and researching environmental microbiology.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Amanda Darling
Hometown: Aurora, Illinois
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Career Goals: After earning my degree, I hope to pursue research opportunities applying technologies for sustainable development of water infrastructure, including systems for wastewater treatment and water supply.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Fred Falcone
Hometown: Pembroke Massachusetts
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Wentworth Institute of Technology
Career Goals: After completing my Ph.D. I want to continue work in research. My plan is to either continue in academia and work as a professor, or to work for a research facility.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Megan Harris
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Location of Undergraduate Studies: The University of Texas at Austin
Career Goals: I want to work internationally and locally for city governments on water resources models and eventually return to academia.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Steven Hoagland
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Kentucky
Career Goals: I would like to perform research and help educate young engineers as a university faculty member.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
James Hurley
Hometown: Durango, Colorado
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Colorado at Boulder
Career Goals: Research scientist or engineer focusing on air pollution and air quality
CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
Joseph James
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Clemson University
Career Goals: After graduate school, I would like to stay in academia, become a professor, continue researching my field of interest, or travel the world to help people visualize their data.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Rebecca Kriss
Hometown: Landenburg, Pennsylvania
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Johns Hopkins University
Career Goals: After earning my doctorate degree, I would like to pursue a career in research, potentially in academia or the public sector.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Krista Liguori
Hometown: King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Penn State University
Career Goals: I hope to become a professor to continue working with motivated students and formulating original research with global impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Alexandra Longest
Hometown: Oakland, Maryland
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Bucknell University
Career Goals: After earning my doctorate, I would like to work at a national laboratory to continue to pursue research into issues concerning public health and the air.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Kathryn Lopez
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Florida State University
Career Goals: I plan to become a professor to continue conducting research on aquatic contaminants and shape the learning experiences of young engineers. I also aim to become involved in environmental policy.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Christian Lytle
Hometown: Liberty Township, Ohio
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Case Western Reserve University
Career Goals: I plan on conducting research in academia or the private sector after completing my doctorate degree. My end goal is to teach and mentor the next generation of environmental engineers.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Ayella Maile-Moskowitz
Hometown: Mount Rainier, Maryland
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Maryland, College Park
Career Goals: I plan on continuing my research in academia or in a national laboratory.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Clayton Markham
Hometown: Syracuse, New York
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University at Buffalo
Career Goals: I would like to be a professor of environmental engineering, concomitantly performing cutting-edge research and educating the next generation of environmental engineers to protect both planet and people.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Frank Mazzola
Hometown: Sterling, Virginia and Aiken, South Carolina
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: To work in the drinking water industry and help provide clean drinking water to communities in a safe and equitable manner.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Lilian McIntosh
Hometown: Abilene, Texas
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Abilene Christian University
Career Goals: Upon completing my degree, I plan to pursue constulting as a wastewater treatment process engineer. My goal is to help communities on the municipal scale to have access to sutainable wastewater treatment. Later in my career journey, I hope to become a professor in an effort to lead future generations of rising engineers.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Tolulope Odimayomi
Hometown: Westfield, Indiana
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Purdue University
Career Goals: My interest in researching water quality improvement and sustainability in the built environment is geared towards fostering safe and informed communities, both domestically and globally. As a professor, I hope to address modern environmental concerns and equip rising engineering professionals to do the same.
CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Kase Poling
Hometown: Beckley, West Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: I hope to work as a professor, legislator, and Christian apologist.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Benjamin Roston
Hometown: Newport News, Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: I hope to explore opportunities in flood hazard management to improve the safety, welfare, and wellbeing of communities impacted by hazardous floodplains and coastal zones. I look forward to exploring new perspectives on the relationships between water and society throughout the M.S. program and my future career.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Alan Smith
Hometown: Buena Vista, Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: I would like to work in either a research setting or structural forensic analysis
CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
Joshua Trump
Hometown: Manassas, Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: My interests are split. I’m very interested in continuing research but I’m also considering my future in industry. I’m excited to see where this year takes me as I explore more of my research and experience academia.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES
Kory Wait
Hometown: Seymour, Indiana
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Purdue University
Career Goals: Continue my Ph.D. research investigating potential sources of groundwater contamination and specifically focusing on the effects of contamination on drinking water supplies from private wells.
Geotechnical Engineering
Lucas Walshire
Hometown: Kalona, Iowa
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Iowa
Career Goals: Contribute to the US Army Corps of Engineers mission by providing technical support through practical and cost effective means
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
Kaleigh Yost
Hometown: Princeton, New Jersey
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University of Notre Dame
Career Goals: I plan on dedicating my career to furthering the understanding of earthquakes and reducing earthquake risk worldwide. I aspire to become a leader in the field of geotechnical earthquake engineering and plan to pursue a career in academia.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
Abril Yu-Shan Chevez
Hometown: Lexington, Virginia
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Virginia Tech
Career Goals: I plan on continuing in academia as a professor so I can perform research as well as teach and mentor future engineers.