The WTS-DC Scholarship Program: Overview

Image

At WTS-DC, we know education is a vital tool to facilitate the advancement of transportation professionals. Every year, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, WTS-DC awards scholarships of between $1,000 and $5,000 to deserving female professionals who are studying transportation at community college, undergraduate, and graduate programs in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. As a chapter, we believe that giving scholarships is one of the most important things we do. Our applications each year open in late August and are due in early October. If you are interested in applying, please check back on or after Labor Day weekend!

Select recipients of the WTS-DC scholarships are nominated by the WTS-DC Chapter Board for WTS International award consideration. The WTS International scholarships include the Helene M. Overly Memorial Graduate Scholarship ($10,000), the Leadership Legacy Scholarship for Graduates ($5,000), the Sharon D. Banks Memorial Scholarship ($5,000), the Molitoris Leadership Scholarship for Undergraduates ($5,000), and the Junior College Scholarship ($2,500).

 

Click here to donate to the WTS-DC Scholarship Fund!

 

Opportunities to contribute to the WTS-DC Scholarship Fund include:

• Sponsor a “named scholarship” ($2,000 minimum). The scholarship will be named based on you, your organization, or a member of your staff whom you would like to recognize as a benefactor. In addition, your organization will be recognized at our annual Holiday Party and will be prominently featured in our newsletter.
• Sponsor a scholarship ($1,000 minimum). You or your organization will be recognized at our annual Holiday Party and listed in our newsletter.
• Make a donation to the scholarship fund. You or your organization will be considered a Friend of the Scholarship Fund and will be listed in the newsletter.

Please join us in supporting the next generation of female and female-identifying transportation professionals by making a tax-deductible donation to the WTS-DC Scholarship Fund. Donations may be made via check or PayPal at the link above. Please make checks payable to the WTS-DC Scholarship Fund and mail them to:

WTS-DC Chapter
P.O. Box 34097
Washington, DC 20043

If you or your organization are interested in sponsoring a particular scholarship in whole or in part, please contact Alanna McKeeman, WTS-DC Scholarship and Fundraising Committee Chair, at [email protected] to discuss options for doing so. Thank you for your support!

2024 WTS-DC Scholarship Awards

In 2024, the chapter awarded $36,500 in scholarships to deserving female and female-identifying students. We honored them at the WTS-DC Holiday Party on December 3, 2024 and several were nominated for WTS International scholarships.

Graduate

• Neda Ghamari, Catholic University of America (Scholarship sponsored by Jacobs)
• Cher Griffith Taylor, Georgetown University (Scholarship sponsored by WTS-DC Chapter)
• Zahra Halimi, University of Maryland, College Park (Scholarship sponsored by Dewberry)
• Hoda Hallaji, University of Maryland, College Park (Scholarship sponsored by the Kimley-Horn of DC)
• Marta Perez Vidal-Ribas, Virginia Tech (Scholarship sponsored by WTS-DC Chapter)
• Raven Royal, Louisiana State University- Shreveport, College Park (Scholarship sponsored by WTS-DC Chapter)
• Safoura Safari, University of Maryland, College Park (Scholarship sponsored by ATCS)
• Narjes Shayesteh, University of Maryland, College Park (Scholarship sponsored by Burns Engineering)
• Sydney Sotelo, University of Maryland, College Park (Scholarship sponsored by WSP)
• Yi Zhang, University of Maryland, College Park (Scholarship sponsored by Boeing)

Undergraduate

• Jenny Eattock, Catholic University of America (Scholarship sponsored by Boeing)
• Kira Harrison, Virginia Tech (Scholarship sponsored by NATA)
• Bronwyn Horgan, George Mason University (Scholarship sponsored by WTS-DC Chapter)
• Jyle Milstead, Catholic University of America (Scholarship sponsored by Boeing)
• Fatima Omarjee-Chavez, George Mason University (Scholarship sponsored by WTS-DC Chapter)

Junior College

• Ghezal Kohestani, Northern Virginia Community College (Scholarship sponsored by HDR)

We would like to again thank our named scholarship sponsors of 2024 for their generous contributions!