(New York, NY – July 29, 2009) – The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation awarded New York University $10,000 in scholarships for two students studying engineering and architecture. The scholarships celebrate the merger of New York University with Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, which is the second oldest private engineering school in the United States. The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation scholarships are awarded to students with exceptional ability and outstanding achievement in engineering, design and technology.
“We are so pleased to offer the scholarships to NYU in affiliation with NYU-Poly for the second consecutive year. The recipients are deserving students who have tremendous potential and the innovative spirit to succeed in the design industry,” said Richard Tomasetti, chairman of the Foundation and an NYU alumnus. “Thornton Tomasetti is a longtime advocate of engineering, design and technology education and this scholarship program further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to integrating engineering education with arts and sciences and cultivating a new generation of engineering leaders.”
"This scholarship, now in its second year, is a testament to the Thornton Tomasetti Foundation’s commitment to both engineering and liberal arts education,” said Matthew S. Santirocco, dean of the College of Arts and Science at NYU. “This generous gift not only enables NYU at the Square and NYU-Poly to build stronger connections, but it also provides financial support and professional mentoring to outstanding and deserving students."
One scholarship was awarded to Yasmina Khan, a student at New York University’s College of Arts and Sciences who will take a course at NYU-Poly, and the other to Sebastian Sztukowski, an engineering student at NYU-Poly who plans to take a course at NYU’s College of Arts and Science.
Yasmina Khan is a rising-star in NYU’s senior class with a double major in urban design and architecture studies and in art history. She has earned a 3.6 GPA and has strong interests in architecture, urban development and environmentalism. Recently, she co-founded “Green Homes for Urban Development,” a nonprofit organization dedicated to stimulating communication about sustainable design among young design professionals and students. The organization combines new technology, including social networking platforms, with traditional techniques such as design competitions to promote new approaches to the urban environment. Ms. Khan is interested in studying in NYU-Poly's Sustainable Urban Environments program in the fall.
Sebastian Sztukowski has distinguished himself as an exceptionally talented sophomore at NYU-Poly. Majoring in civil engineering, he maintains a 3.7 GPA. He has overcome numerous challenges, including the loss of his mother to cancer and his father's paralysis for the past 14 years, making it necessary for him and his three siblings to start working at an early age. He has been honored with the Marvin Priess Award for his outstanding performance in the summer academic enrichment program of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). Mr. Sztukowski’s interests in engineering include construction, structural design and traffic engineering. He is involved in a number of prominent organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the student group Engineers without Borders. In the upcoming year, Sebastian plans to tutor other NYU-Poly students in Physics for the HEOP program, and will also serve as a Teacher Assistant for the NYU-Poly course "Introduction to Engineering & Design."
About the Thornton Tomasetti Foundation
www.ThorntonTomasettiFoundation.org
The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation, a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization established in February 2008, has two primary missions including funding fellowships, scholarships and internships for undergraduate students, and those planning to pursue graduate studies in building engineering, design or technology and providing financial support for individuals and organizations pursuing philanthropic activities related to building engineering, design or technology. Key elements of the program are college scholarships, traveling internships, and grants to, and partnerships with nonprofit organizations.
Thornton Tomasetti, Inc. – 917-661-7800
James M. Kent JKent@ThorntonTomasetti.com
