The Asphalt Institute Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Bill and Shireen Kirk Scholarship. The scholarships are awarded annually to third or fourth-year undergraduate, master’s or doctoral students studying civil engineering or another pavement infrastructure-focused major, with an emphasis on asphalt materials.
Scholarship funds totaling $28,000 were awarded to this group for the 2025-26 school year. Since the program’s inception in 2020, over $141,000 in scholarship funds have been awarded to students across the United States.
This year’s Kirk Scholars are:
Jeremiah Adejube
Jeremiah is a Ph.D. civil and environmental engineering student at the University of Utah. His aim is to be a leading expert in sustainable materials and pavement engineering after graduation.
Kael Margraf
Kael is a civil engineering major at Ohio Northern University, focusing on transportation infrastructure and heavy civil construction. He hopes to lead large-scale projects as a manager in his career.
Tyler Kleinsasser
Tyler is a civil engineering/engineering management major at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. His ultimate career goals are to start his own consulting company and to mentor students about STEM career opportunities.
Caitlin Lien
Caitlin is a civil engineering major at Oregon Institute of Technology. She plans to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees and work as a project manager, working closely with the public and other engineers.
Jillian McNally
Jillian is a civil engineering major at the University of South Carolina – Columbia. She looks forward to working on a variety of construction and design projects after earning her professional engineer (P.E.) credentials.
Liz Pereira Valenca Silva
Liz is a civil engineering major at Auburn University, focusing on asphalt pavements. She plans to complete her master’s degree and a Ph.D. and promote the use of recycled materials for sustainable infrastructure.
Farzad Yazdipanah
Farzad is a civil engineering major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, focusing on recycled asphalt mixtures design. He plans to work as a leading researcher in sustainable road and material technologies after completing his Ph.D.
“These seven students exemplify excellence in their academic pursuits. We are honored to call them Kirk Scholars and encourage their bright futures in the asphalt industry,” said Asphalt Institute Executive Director Marisa Aull.
Applications for the 2026 scholarship program will be available in early January. Learn more at asphaltfoundation.org.
