AIF Kirk Scholars announced for 2020

The Asphalt Institute Foundation (AIF) announced the first scholarship recipients of the newly formed Bill and Shireen Kirk Scholarship Fund.

The scholarships are awarded annually to third or fourth year undergraduate, masters or doctoral students studying business, chemistry, civil engineering, construction management, marketing or sales.

Scholarship funds totaling $25,000 were awarded to this group for the 2020-21 school year. Scholarship recipients will be referred to as “Kirk Scholars.”

This year’s Kirk Scholars are:

• Kyrsten Grace Dallanegra, Virginia Tech
• Ricky Lamar Hall II, Auburn University
• Tanner Caleb Keen, Virginia Tech
• Richard Lee, University of Texas at Austin
• Jessica Victoria Lewis, Mississippi State University

Dallanegra is a civil engineering major at Virginia Tech. She is from Annapolis, Maryland and is active in the Naval ROTC program. Her plans include being a submariner or working in the Navy Civil Engineering Corps.

Hall is a civil engineering major at Auburn University. He is from Dothan, Alabama and works as an engineering tutor. His plans include working as a structural engineer in multiple states.

Keen is a civil engineering major at Virginia Tech. He is from Riner, Virginia and works for the Virginia Department of Transportation as a construction manager. He plans to work in highway and bridge construction.

Lee is a civil engineering major at The University of Texas at Austin. He is from Plano, Texas and works as an asphalt laboratory research assistant. He plans to focus on safety in transportation engineering.

Lewis is a civil engineering major at Mississippi State University. She is from New Orleans, Louisiana and is an undergrad research assistant where she is testing bio-based asphalt rejuvenators. She plans to obtain her Ph.D. and teach on a university level.

“Bill and Shireen Kirk’s vision and commitment to enriching the lives of the next generation of industry professionals is unparalleled. We were thrilled to receive applications from numerous high-caliber, talented individuals this year,” said AIF Program and Development Manager Susan Tanner.

Interested students can go to asphaltfoundation.org to learn more about the program. The 2021 application will be available later this fall.

The Asphalt Institute Foundation was incorporated in 2014 and is a 501(c)3 non-profit public charity.