Scholarship Recipients

Erika Bordi

Beavers Heavy Constructions Scholarship

Hello, my name is Erika Bordi and I am a Civil Engineering student at San Jose State. Currently, my focus is in construction engineering and management. I am from a small town located in California called La Honda. I live on a ranch with my brother, father, aunt, and grandparents. Some interesting things about me are when I am not in school or studying I love to cook new recipes and paint. When I am not cooking or painting I like to spend quality time with my family or my animals. I am honored and very appreciative to have been selected as one of the recipients of the Beavers Heavy Constructions Scholarship. Thank you for your generosity and your support for my education.

Kaitlin Chung

Charles W. Davidson Junior, Hydroscience, and San Jose Water Company Scholarships

Hi! I’m Kaitlin and I’m a fourth-year civil engineering student. My hometown is Palo Alto, CA. In my free time, I like to stay active and enjoy the outdoors by going on hikes, walks, or having picnics. But I also enjoy binging new Netflix shows! I hope to pursue a career in water resources or hydraulics engineering. I hope I can focus on environmental aspects and help find sustainable solutions using this career. In my future endeavors, I will use the skills and opportunities San Jose State University has given me in my courses and student organizations such as the ability to grow as a leader and professional.

Austin Haas

Gunderson Scholarship

My name is Austin Haas. I am a graduate student in the Civil Engineering Department with a specialization in Structural Engineering. This is the end of my second year and I hope to finish next semester while working full-time at Graniterock. I am currently working as a project engineer at Graniterock in San Jose. I have worked for Graniterock since 2018 and they support my decision to pursue higher education. I moved to San Jose in 2018 from Central Texas, where I graduated from Trinity University with a Bachelors in Science in Engineering and Physics. I am eager to continue my education at San Jose State University this upcoming Fall. My hobbies include hiking, running, and soccer. My future career endeavors are to get my Professional Engineering license and continue to work at Graniterock.

Yachen Ji

Gunderson and Rieser Building Group Scholarships

I’m a graduate student majoring in construction management. I received my bachelor’s degree in economics in China and I was really interested in sustainable construction. 

I appreciate that the SJSU civil engineering MS program opens to students who have a non-engineering bachelor’s degree because it gave me the opportunity to change major and pursue my career goal. 

I’m also very grateful to the professors and my peer students in CE. As an international and a switch major student, I always had many questions either about the academic, life in the US, or the English language, they were always there to help. I have no friends or family when I first came to the US, but the people I met at SJSU are so nice and they make me feel at home. 

Sofia Karimi

California Water Services Company and San Jose Water Company Scholarships

My name is Sofia Karimi and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at SJSU. I am working to pursue my bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. I was born in raised in California, though my parents are from Afghanistan. I currently reside in Dublin, Ca, which is approximately 30 miles from SJSU. Therefore, I would commute to campus 3-4 times a week using the Ace train before the pandemic. A few interesting things about me are, I am fluent in speaking Farsi, Pashto, and English and intermediate in speaking Arabic. I also really enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, or even walking.

Kevin Lam

Hydroscience and San Jose Water Company Scholarships

Hello, my name is Kevin Lam and I am from Elk Grove, California. I'm now in my fourth year here at San Jose State University studying Civil and Environmental Engineering. I've been fortunate enough to have a handful of summer opportunities to work on residential and commercial construction projects, so it's given me plenty to think about for my future career path. My goal is to work on heavy civil projects, so I can support the expansion and smooth operation of our public infrastructure, such as our roads and water resources. Professional goals aside, some things I enjoy in my free time are watching Netflix, hanging out with friends, video games, and backpacking. A pipe dream of mine is to complete a thru-hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. I've learned so many interesting things so far in school and I'm looking forward to getting into the nitty-gritty details during the few semesters I have left!

Tiffany Maninang

Caputo Senior Scholarship

My name is Tiffany Maninang and I am a graduating civil engineer. I have always been passionate about protecting and caring for the environment. This passion is what originally led me to pursue a bachelors in engineering and has helped motivate me to solve the complex problems surrounding plastic and water pollution. Another passion of mine involved service, which led me to join 8th Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Brigade. By completing this service, I will commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. By finishing college and commission, I plan on fulfilling both of my passions by working for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers in my hometown of Sacramento, California. 

Lina Masri

Caputo Junior Scholarship

My name is Lina Masri and I am currently studying to become a Civil Engineer. Being a Syrian Arab, I was raised with a culture that was heavily influenced by both the colonization of the Ottoman Empire and the French, which was shown in our historical buildings which incorporated the influence of colonizations and mosaic glass that had been invented by Syrians. Growing up and visiting all these historical sites is what perked my interest into studying Architecture and Civil Engineering. Luckily, I was privileged to begin to fulfill my dream at San Jose State University and to be able to major in Civil Engineering and minor in both Engineering Management and Architectural Studies. When I finish my studies and become one of the few female engineers there are, I will be able to give back to my community through projects that would benefit our society.

Pascale Messa

Charles W. Davidson Senior and George M. Sicular Senior Scholarships

Hello, I am Pascale Messa and I’m a graduating senior. I’ll be graduating this Fall 2021 and am so excited already, especially after the year we’ve had ! The 2020-2021 academic year was definitely the most challenging year I’ve had so far, but I’m glad I made it. I chose Civil Engineering as my major because I wanted to positively impact my community. Indeed, originally from Gabon, a small country in Central Africa, a civil engineering degree would allow me to design and build new public infrastructures and/or transportation systems there, which will benefit my community. Here's an interesting fact about myself: I have been to eight countries in four different continents (Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, France, Spain, Turkey and the U.S.). In my free time I like listening to music and re-watching my favorite shows. I’m currently re-watching “Dr. House”.

Misael Millan

San Jose Water Company Scholarship

Hello, my name is Misael Millan and I’m currently in my fifth and final academic year at San Jose State University. I grew up in Newman, CA, a rural town in the central valley where the closest movie theatre is 30 minutes away! My interests in civil engineering sparked from constantly being around hydraulic structures such as irrigation canals and aqueducts, which in turn piqued my curiosity with this field of study. I’m very fortunate to have met a lot of great mentors and friends who’ve helped my interpersonal development as an aspiring civil engineer. Thank you San Jose Water Company for supporting my academic endeavors! And lastly, thank you to my dad who has guided me on this path. Hope I’ve made you proud!

Leticia Nunez

California Water Services Company Scholarship

My name is Leticia Nuñez and I am entering my 4th year as a Civil Engineering undergraduate student at San Jose State University. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, specifically the San Fernando Valley. Being independent for as long as I can remember, I always dreamt of moving away from home for college in order to experience new things and meet new people outside of my city and community. As a result, I only applied to universities in Northern California and ended up moving 5 hours from home to attend SJSU. I am a first-generation student with a Guatemalan father and a Salvadorian mother. Aside from my diverse cultural background many get surprised about my love for fitness. I enjoy keeping my body moving including going on hikes and going to the gym. This not only helps physically, it also contributes to my mental health and nutrition. I also love to drive around the Bay Area, discovering new landmarks, parks, and amazing food spots!