Cabinet adds third student scholarship, offers summer and post-graduation employment
FRANKFORT — Building roads and bridges is synonymous with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and so is the Cabinet’s more than 70-year legacy of building Kentucky’s future workforce of transportation leaders. KYTC is expanding its two civil engineering scholarship programs to include a third construction management scholarship – all of which provide tuition assistance, hands-on experience and guaranteed employment after graduation.
“This is a one-of-a-kind scholarship program that offers more than financial assistance but also practical experience to help students start a meaningful career that will help build a better Kentucky,” said Gov. Andy Beshear.
KYTC will award up to 30 new scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year to prospective and current college students pursuing civil engineering and engineering technology degrees. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2023.
“Scholarships are a proven pipeline to recruit talented and experienced students to join our team,” said Secretary Jim Gray. “We’re thrilled to expand our scholarship program to invest in students seeking construction management degrees that develop critical skills needed in the industry to manage projects of all sizes.”
New Construction Management Scholarship. This scholarship is for students focusing on a four-year construction management degree who attend Northern Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University, Morehead State University or Murray State University. A limited number of scholarships will be offered, and they will be worth up to $59,200 (also ranging from $7,200 to $7,600 per semester).
The Civil Engineering Scholarship is for students focusing on a four-year engineering degree who attend the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University or Kentucky State University. It is awarded to 10-20 new students and can be worth up to $59,200 (ranging from $7,200 to $7,600 per semester).
The Civil Engineering Technology Scholarship was established in 2009 and partners with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Each scholarship student will receive $3,000 per semester to complete an associate degree in Civil Engineering Technology from either of the KCTCS campuses in Lexington or Prestonsburg. The Cabinet will award up to 10 scholarships to students to attend either campus.
All three of these scholarships provide employment during the summer and job placement at KYTC after graduation. Scholarship recipients agree to work for KYTC for a year for every year they receive the scholarship. Former scholarship recipients have held top management positions at KYTC, including multiple state highway engineers, chief district engineers and branch managers.
KYTC Deputy Secretary Hancock was a sophomore at the former Hopkinsville Community College when he applied for his scholarship. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky in 1978.
“I’m proud to be among countless Transportation Cabinet leaders whose career was jumpstarted through these scholarship programs,” Deputy Secretary Hancock said. “Our employees have a diverse range of educational backgrounds, and I’m excited we’re opening our doors even wider to help invest in the next generation.”
Scholarship recipients will be notified in April.
For more information about these scholarships and other educational opportunities, please visit transportation.ky.gov/Education/ or call (502) 564-3730.