2010 Builders Foundation Construction Scholarship Winners Announced
- Sophia Venetos
- April 14, 2010
In a time where it has become much more difficult for college students to obtain financial aid, and the cost of tuition continues to rise to new highs, The Builders Foundation hasn’t strayed from rewarding excellence. This year, four hard-working college students studying construction engineering or construction management can breathe a little easier.
Max Hilton, Joseph R. Rook, Mitchell L. Rotta and Sara Zongolowicz are each the recipients of renewable, yearly $3,000 Builders Foundation scholarships. Each winner has been added to the already long list of scholarship recipients, making it a total of 27 students who have been helped by the Foundation with over $80,000 in funds.
Max Hilton is a sophomore at Ferris State University majoring in Construction Management. While attending Oswego East High School, he was a member of the National Honor Society, a four-year football player and worked at a custom cabinetry business. After he graduates from college, Hilton wants to work for an international construction company that does large commercial projects. He is also very interested in green construction.
“My ultimate career goal is to start my own construction company that focuses in green building technology,” he said. “I plan on developing innovative ways to make the construction process more efficient, while using renewable resources in the project.”
Joseph R. Rook is a junior at the University of Illinois and is majoring in Civil Engineering. He is the president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, on the Engineering Council and has interned at two construction companies. He graduated from Wheaton Warrenville South High School in 2007. Upon graduation, Rook wants to work as a field engineer either with a general contractor or for a construction management firm.
“I still have a lot to figure out logistically, but I find a lot of comfort in knowing I will be aspiring for a job in which I will enjoy,” he said.
A junior at Michigan State University, Mitchell R. Rotta is majoring in Construction Management. He graduated from Naperville Central High School in 2007. During the summer of 2008 and 2009, Rotta worked as an assistant project manager at Development Solutions, Inc. He has also assisted on a televised “Extreme Makeover” project. After he graduates, Rotta hopes to secure a job as a project manager with a national construction company.
“Someday I hope to direct a high rise construction project from start to finish,” he said.
A sophomore at Marquette University, Sara Zongolowicz is majoring in Civil Engineering. She is a graduate of Mary D. Bradford High School, where she was a member of the student government and the National Honor Society. Her plans after graduation include working as a civil engineer for a firm who builds environmentally friendly structures. If the firm doesn’t have a green program, Zongolowicz wants to convince the firm to start one.
“I would then hope to expand these ‘green’ ideas to other companies in order to hopefully make Wisconsin a greener state,” she said.