This fellowship is a memorial to Jack E. Leisch, M.ASCE, and his outstanding professional accomplishments and contributions to the fields of highway design, traffic operations, and transportation planning. The award consists of a certificate and a monetary payment of approximately $5,000.

The Jack E. Leisch Fellowship is made possible by generous donations. To contribute to the fellowship, donate here.

Applications are currently closed. We will begin accepting applications for 2024 in the Fall of 2023. Keep an eye on this page and the ASCE Transportation and Development Institute's social media channels for an official announcement.

Recent recipient

2023–2024

  • Kyle Bathgate, S.M.ASCE, University of Texas at Austin

View all recipients

Rules

  1. The fellowship will apply to full-time students enrolled in or admitted to a graduate degree program (master’s or doctoral) at an accredited university emphasizing transportation planning, roadway geometric design, traffic operations, and safety performance.
  2. Applicants must be an ASCE or T&DI member in good standing at the time of the award.
  3. Previous fellowship recipients are not eligible to reapply.
  4. The application deadline is March 31, 2023.
  5. Incomplete application packages or applications received after March 31, 2023, will not be reviewed. See the “Applications” section below for a list of required documents.
  6. Selection is based on an appraisal of the applicant's academic program, educational plan, academic performance, post-graduate intentions, leadership capacity, and financial need.  

Applications

To apply, submit a complete application package by March 31, 2023. Applications must include:

  1. Cover Letter (one page)
  2. Statement of Interest (1000 words or less) detailing:
    1. Applicant’s understanding of Jack E. Leisch’s career and how their work correlates with his. 
    2. Applicant’s focus area and long-term interests, and how they apply to the fellowship. 
    3. How the fellowship will support the applicant’s career efforts and long-term goals.
    4. Any learning experiences or unexpected insights the applicant experienced during the application process. 
  3. Resume (two pages or less) indicating:
    1. Academic experience
    2. Undergraduate and graduate grade point average (GPA)
    3. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores
    4. Work experience
    5. Extracurricular activities including professional society student chapter memberships.
    6. Other pertinent information
  4. Official transcripts from graduate and undergraduate institutions.
  5. A list of completed or planned graduate coursework in the areas of highway design, traffic operations, and/or transportation planning.
  6. A confidential letter of recommendation.
  7. Statement of Financial Need (250 words or less).

Please read the following section carefully. Failure to follow the instructions listed below may result in disqualification. 

How to apply:

  1. Submit a complete application by the stated deadline.
  2. Applications must be submitted online. The link to apply will be available on this page during the application period. 
  3. All documents must be uploaded in PDF format in separate files.
  4. Please have all documents (except the letter of recommendation and transcripts) available when starting an application.
  5. File names are limited to 248 characters. 
  6. Official transcripts must be emailed directly from the university to [email protected]. 
  7. Letters of recommendation must be emailed directly from the reference to [email protected]. The reference should include the email subject line Jack E. Leisch Fellowship Nomination Reference for [applicant’s name].