Three Ohio students receive minority engineering scholarships

Mentor, Ohio — Students from the University of Akron, Ohio Northern University and The Ohio State University are recipients of awards in the 2015 Ohio Minority Engineering Student Scholarship Program (OMESSP) for excellence in scholarship and professional potential. The winners were announced by the Central Ohio Alumni Extension of the National Society of Black Engineers, CT Consultants, Inc., and New Visions Group, LLC.

Andrew E. Linebarger, a junior at the University of Akron majoring in environmental engineering, Josiah F. Denson, a sophomore at Ohio Northern University majoring in environmental engineering, and Vincent E. Johns, Jr., a sophomore at The Ohio State University majoring in transportation engineering, each will receive a $2,500 scholarship for the 2015-2016 school year.

Linebarger, of Cuyahoga Falls, is receiving a renewal for the OMESSP scholarship he was awarded for the 2014-15 school year. He also is the recipient of the University of Akron College of Engineering Scholarship. Linebarger has interned with CT Consultants in the firm’s Akron office and is an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

Denson, a first-time recipient of the OMESSP scholarship, is from Ada, Ohio. He is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, fundraising co-chair for Habitat for Humanity, mix team captain for Concrete Canoe, Innovators for Ohio Northern and the Black Student Union. Denson is in the Ohio Northern University Honors Program and is a recipient of the ONU President’s Scholarship and the ONU Dimension Award. He enjoys music, tennis, basketball and performing community service.

Johns, a native of Columbus, is also the recipient of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Leadership Award, the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Undergraduate Research Award, the National Society of Black Engineers at OSU Community Service Award, the Bell National Resource Center Academic Achievement Award, and the Kappa League Award, all for 2015. He is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation STEM Program.

“These three students were selected from an impressive and highly qualified group of applicants and are most deserving of the OMESSP scholarships.  Each recipient surpassed the challenging criteria we established for the scholarships. Our intention is to provide scholarships that assist the students in achieving their educational goals and developing successful careers in engineering,” said Wes Hall, vice president at CT Consultants, funding sponsor of the OMESSP.

The OMESSP, established in 2008, is designed to provide financial assistance and possible internship opportunities to minority students enrolled in a civil engineering program at an accredited Ohio college or university. The scholarships are renewable upon reapplication by the student for up to three academic years. For information about the OMESSP visit https://www.ctconsultants.com/about-us/ohio-minority-engineering-scholarship.