This content originally published in the Winter 2024 print edition of NAPA Quarterly. Subscribe here.

By Katie Navarra

National and state scholarships pave the way for the next generation of asphalt industry leaders.

Raised in an Amish community in Shipshewana, Ind., Derek Miller was the first in his family to attend college. While a civil engineering sophomore at Trine University, he applied for the John & Emma Brooks/Brooks Construction Co. scholarship offered by the Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana (APAI) and became the first three-time award recipient.

“My scholarship gave me several advantages. During the interview process, several people on the scholarship board worked for Brooks. I was able to connect with them and was offered an internship for the summer. That led to another the following summer and now I work at Brooks full time,” he said. “Growing up in the Amish community, going to college was taboo. The scholarships I received from APAI were part of the reason I was able to get through school with less stress about the financial aspect.”

Miller is one of thousands of recipients whose careers have benefited from industry-supported scholarships, including those awarded by state chapters and those managed by the NAPA Research and Education Foundation (NAPAREF). Here’s a look at the impact of scholarships on developing a talented pipeline for the asphalt paving industry.

“Growing up in the Amish community, going to college was taboo. The scholarships I received from APAI were part of the reason I was able to get through school with less stress about the financial aspect.”

—Derek Miller, John & Emma Brooks Scholarship Recipient

NAPAREF SCHOLARSHIPS AT A GLANCE

NAPAREF has awarded more than $3.7 million to 2,200+ students since its establishment in 1978 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation to raise, manage, and disperse funds to support various programs. Scholarships are one of those programs designed to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified professionals entering and remaining in the asphalt paving industry.

Melanie S. Richardson, NAPA Vice President for Finance & Operations, explained that current NAPAREF scholarships include the IMPACT, Barton Mitchell, Wayne Evans, and Acott/Wilson scholarship awards. The IMPACT award is presented at the fall IMPACT Leadership Group Conference to support up-and-coming leaders in the asphalt pavement industry on their career journey. The Barton Mitchell award is funded by the Mitchell Family Foundation and offered through NAPAREF scholarship and is designated for Virginia students.

The Acott/Wilson Scholarship is unique from most scholarships offered in any industry. When Bob Thompson – an asphalt contractor in Michigan, NAPA Past Chairman, and former NCAT Board Chairman – sold his company, he donated $1 million to establish the Acott/Wilson Scholarship, explained Jay Winford, President of Prairie Contractors and Chairman of the NAPAREF Board of Trustees.

“He was a visionary in the industry and said the money needed to be expended within 10 years,” Winford explained. “The scholarship was named for Mike Acott, the NAPA president and executive director for 30 years, and the Wilson family, who owned a business in Louisiana that sold to Old Castle in 2000.”

The funds awarded through the Acott portion of the scholarship are for vocational scholarships for students in technical schools, and the Wilson piece generally goes to Louisiana students.Opens in modal lightbox

Learn more about the NAPAREF Road Scholars Program and the Foundation’s nearly four decades of partnership with NCAT. Donations and pledges to help the program reach its initial $3 million endowment can be made online for any amount for a timeframe of up to five years.Opens in modal lightbox

LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS TO STRENGTHEN SCHOLARSHIPS

NAPAREF maintains 51 different scholarships, including state-based scholarships and those awarded by the State Asphalt Pavement Associations (SAPAs), with NAPA offering in-kind donations of staff time and expertise to SAPAs seeking assistance managing their scholarship programs.

“A lot of states run their scholarships through NAPAREF because they can use our professional investment advisor, and contributions may be tax deductible,” said Richardson. “Donors’ contributions are tax deductible because we are designated as a charity by the IRS.”

APAI is one of 30 SAPAs nationwide to partner with NAPA and NAPAREF to manage their scholarship funds. APAI launched its scholarship program in 2006 and has awarded close to $1 million to 400 students. In 2023, APAI awarded $45,000 to 21 students to encourage Indiana’s highly qualified college students to pursue a career in the state’s thriving transportation construction industry.

“We have found that getting out and meeting the applicants makes all the difference for us in the selection process,” said Jaymie Hunckler, APAI’s Director of Member Services. “A lot of the time schools are handing out applications and students are just filling them out. We make a concentrated effort to interview them in person and invite them to get engaged in the industry.”

Neighboring Flexible Pavements of Ohio (FPO) has awarded close to $1 million in scholarships over the past 29 years with the goal to encourage talented college students to remain in the industry after graduation.

“A lot of our scholarship recipients have ended up as engineers and executives with the Ohio Department of Transportation, which is our main asphalt customer here in Ohio,” explained Bill Fair, Executive Engineer at FPO. “We have past scholarship recipients who are county engineers and quite a few working for our member companies, which is one the main aims – to get some educated people they can recruit into their businesses.”

SUPPORTING GRADUATE STUDENTS

Most scholarships tend to support undergraduate students. However, NAPAREF’s newest scholarship, the Road Scholars, is an award exclusively for graduate students at Auburn University, home of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT). In the 1980s, NAPA recognized the need for a US-based, world-class asphalt pavement research center, and Auburn University was selected to house the facility.

“It has been a wonderful 38-year partnership with Auburn University, and initially, NAPAREF raised $10 million to fund it, which Auburn now manages in their endowment,” Winford said. “Three years ago, we asked Dr. Chris Roberts, president of Auburn University, what we could do for him, and he said, ‘scholarships for graduate students.’”

NCAT is an economic driver for the region, creating a $50 million impact. But keeping graduate students is challenging. Factors like pressure from competing colleges and the cost of remaining in graduate school on a small stipend influence many to opt to find work instead of two additional years in school. Through the Road Scholars program, the goal is to ease the financial pressure and enable individuals to pursue graduate degrees and conduct critical industry research. NAPAREF hopes to announce inaugural award winners in the fall of 2025, according to Richardson.

“We are still accepting pledges for the Road Scholar program to reach our goal of $3 million for future students,” Winford said.

If you are interested in more information about NAPAREF, contact Melanie Richardson at [email protected].

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Ask the Scholar

HOW DO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS KEEP TALENT IN THE INDUSTRY?

The NAPA Research & Education Foundation (NAPAREF) provides support for more than 50 scholarships across the country. To assess how asphalt pavement scholars are faring post-scholarship, NAPA Quarterly collaborated with state asphalt pavement associations to highlight recent graduates whose studies were enhanced by these programs.

Have an outstanding scholar you’d like to recognize? Let us know at [email protected] and look for more coverage on NAPA Now.

WHAT ARE YOUR LONG-TERM CAREER GOALS?

Derek Miller: My long-term career goals are first and foremost to pass my Principles and Practice of Engineering exam within the next year and obtain my Professional Engineering License. In addition to that, as cheesy as it sounds, I want to make an impact on the community around me and make the built environment we live in a better place. In my career I will never stop asking questions and learning because this is how I will become a better engineer every single day. I will continue to keep every user in mind as I design projects and seek to create better infrastructure and environments for all. I also want to be active in groups and committees both locally and nationally to serve the industry in any way possible.

Jessica V. Lewis: My long-term career goals include obtaining professional licensure and making a meaningful, lasting impact on the industry where I develop my expertise. I am committed to continuous growth and contributing to the advancement of my field.

Chase Miffleton: I have two key long-term goals: skill development and leadership development. Specifically, I aim to deepen my knowledge of the paving industry in all areas, which will allow me to become a more effective leader. Together, these goals will enable me to build a fulfilling and impactful career that not only advances my own aspirations of becoming more well-rounded but also supports the growth of those around me and the company as a whole.

Colby Sipos: I aspire to become a project manager for a heavy civil/heavy highway contractor. I have had the opportunity to perform a lot of assistant project manager tasks during my co-ops and have enjoyed every second of it. I have begun to take pride in road construction with all the unique aspects of the industry and all the different scopes of work that can be experienced. I’ve also found myself enjoying the people that I work with. Everyone has been able to make work fun while still having a very productive and motivating attitude. I see myself finding a role as an assistant project manager then moving up to a position as high as senior project manager or even an operations manager with time and hard work. I’m also aware of the numerous other career paths that one can find themselves on within the industry and I am open to experiencing any of those as well. I know that I will be happy with whatever position or title I earn, just as long as I get to be a part of this industry that I am consistently intrigued by. Upon graduating, I would like to be located in Central Ohio. I believe Central Ohio is becoming a hot bed for infrastructure projects, which I learned more about during my final co-op with Shelly & Sands.

WHAT FIRST INTERESTED YOU IN PURSUING STUDIES IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION?

Miller: I first became interested in pursuing studies in road construction because of growing up in a small Amish community. Growing up in Shipshewana, Ind., I was able to see firsthand how different vehicles (cars, horses and buggies, and bikes) operate on the roadway together. This is why I am passionate about ensuring that all road users have a place on the road, since I understand not everyone will always have or use a car. In addition to that I was able to witness how horses being on the road constantly can cause serious damage to asphalt by creating ruts where they run. This made me curious about pavement design and possible solutions to minimize rutting in the areas where horses and buggies are most present. In college I loved my transportation, materials, and pavement design classes where I was able to dive deeper and understand how pavements are designed to withstand traffic.

Lewis: I initially developed an interest in bridges and structures, captivated by their complexity and design. However, as I advanced through my undergraduate studies, I gained a deeper appreciation for the intricate relationship between materials and structural systems. This growing understanding led me to enthusiastically accept a position as an undergraduate research assistant, where I focused on flexible pavements.

Miffleton: Growing up, I never thought of pursuing a career in road construction. However, my father’s involvement in the industry and my connections with Scott Claud and Harry King at Colony Construction sparked my interest. Ultimately, it’s essential to find joy in your work, and that’s exactly what Colony Construction offers. Although I didn’t study road construction in school, I knew exactly where I wanted to be after graduating.

Sipos: When I started college and began my co-ops I wanted to spend a rotation in each industry (heavy civil, commercial, and residential) but after my first co-op in heavy civil with John R. Jurgensen, I was hooked. I enjoyed the large-scale projects, heavy machinery, and each day being different from the last. Throughout my college career, most of the required course work has been commercial construction and it has further solidified my choice to pursue a career in the heavy civil industry. This semester, the majority of my courses will be heavy civil to help me obtain the newly offered Heavy Civil Certificate, which I am really looking forward to.

HOW HAS YOUR SCHOLARSHIP GIVEN YOU A LEG UP IN YOUR CAREER PURSUITS?

Miller: During the interview process for the scholarship while I was a sophomore in college, several members of the scholarship board worked for Brooks Construction Company. After the interview I was able to connect with them and was offered an internship for the summer. This led to another the following summer, and I now work at Brooks full time!

Lewis: Scholarship funds provide me with peace of mind regarding my financial situation, allowing me to direct more focus and energy toward my studies in asphalt and workforce development initiatives. This support not only alleviates financial stress but also enables me to fully engage in advancing my academic and professional pursuits.

Miffleton: This scholarship provided great support during my college years. First off, it offered immediate assistance when my laptop broke, allowing me to purchase a new one without falling behind on my studies or assignments. More importantly, it provided long-term benefits by helping me establish connections that truly highlight the value of this program. This experience opened my eyes to the industry and allowed me to meet the individuals who contributed to the growth of this company.

Sipos: Receiving this scholarship has taken away some of the financial burden that comes along with college and allowed me to focus more on my studies to become a better project manager, bringing value to the construction industry. Before receiving this scholarship and a few others, I had to juggle working parttime while still keeping up with my course work. Now I can focus on my class and dig deeper into the course material to get the most out of my education as possible.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT ROAD CONSTRUCTION, ASPHALT PAVEMENTS, OR CIVIL ENGINEERING THAT YOU FEEL OTHERS SHOULD KNOW WHO ARE UNSURE ABOUT THEIR CAREER PATHWAY?

Miller: This career can be so interesting even if it seems like every road or project would be the same. Every project I work on is different in some ways, which makes the design engaging. One cool part about this career is seeing the empty field, processing the topographic data that was gathered, designing a finished site on paper, and then seeing the finished product once it is constructed by our crews in the field. Seeing that transformation from an empty field to a completed site is awesome, and the joy it brings customers is even better. Civil engineering is not theoretical or something most people don’t notice; it is instrumental in shaping the infrastructure that everybody uses on a day-to-day basis. I encourage anyone who enjoys solving challenges and is interested in infrastructure to consider a career in this rewarding field!

Lewis: The field of road construction brings together individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and varying levels of education. It is important for others to realize that building a successful career in this industry is possible in many different ways. Whether you hold a PhD as a chemist who works with polymers or are a member of a paving crew, you have the potential to make a meaningful and impactful contribution to the road construction industry. The multitude of roles and expertise allows for countless opportunities to contribute and thrive within the profession.

Miffleton: Over the past three years in asphalt paving, I’ve realized that the industry is only continuing to grow. I genuinely believe this is an excellent career path for anyone looking to invest in their future. There are numerous avenues to explore, including quality control, plant operations, project management, estimating, and paving/milling operations. I’m confident that anyone with an interest in this field can find a fulfilling and successful career.

Sipos: This industry has to be one of the best, if not the best, industries in the world. It doesn’t matter what title or job you hold in the industry, they are all great careers that allow you to be a part of very important projects. Additionally, the people you get to work alongside are all great people who are extremely hard working, driven individuals who know how to get stuff done. Not to mention, when you first start out, they are all eager and willing to pass along knowledge to you because they want to see you succeed.