American Infrastructure Establishes Endowed Scholarship

Published 04.29.2008

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Corporate Relations
Scholarships

A Montgomery County firm that is a longtime supporter of students at Pennsylvania College of Technology has solidified that relationship with a permanent source of scholarship awards.

American Infrastructure Inc., a Worcester-based heavy civil construction firm that has hired more than 60 Penn College graduates, recently completed the process of creating a fully endowed scholarship fund at the college.

The American Infrastructure Endowed Scholarship fund provides at least three scholarship awards annually to students at the college. Criteria for the scholarship awards favor full-time students who are employees of − or have family members who are employees of − American Infrastructure and its member companies.

Preference is also given to students in at least the third year of the construction management, HVAC design or civil engineering technology bachelor-degree majors; students in the second year of associate-degree majors in heavy construction equipment technology (operator or technician emphasis), HVAC technology-plumbing emphasis, forest technology, building construction technology, surveying technology or civil engineering technology; and second-year students enrolled in the college's diesel technology certificate major.

"As leaders in the heavy civil construction business, American Infrastructure realizes we are only as good as the people we recruit, train and retain to grow our business," said Robert Capps, director of field recruiting and retention for American Infrastructure. "Pennsylvania College of Technology is a valuable resource in helping us meet our professional- and field-staff needs."

American Infrastructure has been supporting student scholarship awards at Penn College since 2004. The company and the college first established a strategic partnership in 1985, when American Infrastructure sponsored a scholarship/loan program for students at Penn College predecessor institution Williamsport Area Community College.

Since 1985, American Infrastructure has provided more than $65,000 in educational loans that are forgiven after a period of employment with the firm. American Infrastructure also has donated equipment to the college for students to use in live laboratory settings, made industry contacts on the college's behalf to help it acquire other significant equipment and technology contributions, facilitated a matriculation agreement for incoming students from Fairfax County Schools in Virginia, and participated in program-advisory and curriculum-review committees.

American Infrastructure has also provided opportunities for students and faculty to visit AI job sites and facilities, and the company has allowed managers and other employees to guest-lecture in various classes at Penn College to give the students exposure to current technology and construction-management techniques.

In 2005, Penn College presented American Infrastructure with its Mentorship Award. The award, established in 2002, recognizes alumni and businesses that have made significant and/or ongoing contributions to the education and development of Penn College students.

"Penn College values the exceptional long-term partnership that has been established with American Infrastructure," said Barry R. Stiger, vice president for institutional advancement at the college. "Scholarship support is extremely important in assisting our students and their families with the cost of their education. We appreciate American Infrastructure's support of, and interest in, Penn College students."

American Infrastructure Inc. is a heavy civil construction company and materials supplier with business units in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. The company consistently ranks in the top half of Engineering News Record's annual Top 400 U.S. Contractors, the Top 50 Domestic Heavy Contractors, and the Top 200 Environmental Engineering and Construction Companies.

Pennsylvania College of Technology is a special mission affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University, committed to applied technology education. With more than 6,600 students enrolled in bachelor-degree, associate-degree and certificate majors, the college is the largest Penn State affiliate.

For more information about Penn College, visit online, e-mail or call toll-free (800) 367-9222.

For more information about making a donation, establishing a scholarship fund or other ways to support Penn College and its students, visit on the Web , e-mail or call the Institutional Advancement Office toll free at (866) GIVE 2 PC.