Robert P. Wadell, P.E., MSCE, F.ASCE, donated the funds for this scholarship in 2022, with a donation to the ASCE Foundation. Robert P. Wadell, P.E., MSCE, F.ASCE, joined ASCE in 1968, as a student at the University of California, Berkeley, while earning his BSCE and MSCE degrees. He later served as president of the San Francisco Younger Member group, then known as the Associate Member Forum, and secretary of the San Francisco Section. Wadell received ASCE’s Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement in 1974 and later, the Outstanding Engineer in California ASCE Activities Award. He served ASCE in a number of committee positions at the section and national levels including chairman of the Executive Committee of ASCE’s Engineering Management Division.

In his twenties, he established Wadell Engineering Corporation, with a practice limited to airport planning, engineering and management completing over 500 domestic and international airport projects in almost 50 years. He established the Civil Engineering Scholarship to encourage students to further their civil engineering education with a focus on transportation engineering. It was instituted by the Board of Direction in December, 2022.

Rules

  1. The Robert P. Wadell Transportation Engineering Scholarship may be presented annually to not more than two undergraduate civil engineering students, who will use the scholarship for tuition expenses and fees.
  2. The purpose of the scholarship is to further the education of worthy students in the transportation engineering discipline. Preference shall be given to applicants in their final two years of study.
  3. Eligibility:
    1. At the time of application and award the individual must be a student enrolled in and who will continue as an undergraduate in an ABET-accredited or equivalent program in civil engineering with emphasis on transportation engineering.
    2. Applicants must be a member of the Society and in good standing at the time of application and award and must be U.S. citizens.
    3. Previous recipients are eligible to apply in any succeeding competition for these awards provided the other requirements of eligibility are satisfied.
  4. Application:
    1. Complete applications, following directions provided below, are to be submitted by February 10 of the year of award. Applications are required to be submitted online; mailed applications will no longer be accepted. For questions, please contact [email protected].
    2. Applications must include:
      1. completed contact information form;
        (Note: this form requires the signature of a faculty advisor in order to be considered complete.)
      2. personal essay which shall be no more than 500 words on: What can the civil engineering profession do to improve transportation engineering, and what would the applicant do as a civil engineer to improve transportation engineering?;
      3. detailed annual budget statement;
      4. official transcript;
      5. minimum of two recommendation letters, one of which must be from faculty member; and
      6. one-page resume.
  5. Selection:
    1. All applications will be reviewed by the Society Awards Committee or its designee for recommendation to the Executive Committee for final approval.
    2. The committee reserves the right to recommend that no award be made in a particular year if no meritorious applications are received.
    3. Selection is based on appraisal of applicant’s essay, education plans, academic performance, potential for development, demonstrated leadership qualities, and financial need.
  6. Awards:
    1. The amount of the scholarship will be determined annually by and subject to approval of the Executive Committee of the ASCE Board of Direction based on income from the fund endowment.
    2. The recipient will be notified of selection in the spring by the Executive Director of the Society.
    3. Award funds will be deposited to the recipient’s account with the business office of the institution designated by the recipient.
    4. Funds may be applied to tuition expenses and academic fees reasonably and logically associated with an undergraduate engineering program while continuing formal undergraduate education.

Application Instructions

Online applications must be completed and submitted in a single session. All application materials must be submitted in English. Applications are required to be submitted online; mailed applications will no longer be accepted. For questions, please contact [email protected].

Application Deadline: February 10.

To complete the online application, you must have the following:

  1. A single PDF that includes the following in this order:
    1. A completed contact information form;
      (Note: this form requires the signature of a faculty advisor in order to be considered complete.)
    2. A completed detailed annual budget statement;
    3. A personal essay which shall be no more than 500 words on: What can the civil engineering profession do to improve transportation engineering, and what would the applicant do as a civil engineer to improve transportation engineering?;
    4. A one (1) page resume which includes honors, activities, organizations, ASCE student chapter activities including any offices held, and any work experience;
  2. Minimum of two (2) letters of recommendation. Recommendations must be submitted online by the author and must have a signature and be on letterhead.
    (Note: make sure you provide the recommendation letter submission link to your recommenders. Please ask your recommenders to submit one general letter for you instead of a separate letter for each scholarship for which you are applying.)
  3. Official Transcript: A digital copy of an official transcript must be sent from your institution to [email protected]. If a digital copy is not available, send a sealed copy to: ASCE Scholarships Program, American Society of Civil Engineers, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191.

Apply now

All application requirements must be fulfilled. Incomplete applications will not be considered.