Keith Krass, intern for Allan Myers, named Intern of the Year and awarded top scholarship, 16 semifinalists also received scholarships

SUGAR LAND, Texas — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 1, 2018 — Construction software developer HCSS ( www.hcss.com) announces the winners of its annual Construction Intern Awards. The company’s third-annual program awarded a combined $50,000 in college scholarships to students in construction-related fields who interned with construction companies for at least two months during the 2016-2017 school year or summer of 2017. One grand prize winner, four finalists and 12 honorable mentions all received scholarships.

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Army veteran and Safety Management major at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Keith Krass, was awarded the grand prize, Intern of the Year, scholarship of $10,000. He interned as an assistant health, safety and environmental specialist (HSE) with Allan Myers, Worcester, Pa., from May to August of 2017.

“The calling to help people is what got me into safety, and, with Allan Myers, safety is about more than regulations. It’s about going above and beyond, about making the difficult, but right, decision,” Krass says. “Allan Myers employees led by example and set the standard for others to follow. They are true professionals that I strive to emulate. Allan Myers has provided me with an excellent experience, and I am thankful. I also appreciate HCSS’s sponsorship of the construction intern scholarship program. By valuing education, they recognize the students who are working hard to be part of the industry’s future.”

The four finalists receiving a $4,000 scholarship were:

• Harrison Hayworth, University of Arkansas – Little Rock, interning with Austin Bridge & Road
• Jessica Francis, West Virginia University, interning with Crown Castle
• Maxwell Legeay, Western Kentucky University, interning with Traylor Bros., Inc.
• Will Bodnar, University of Pittsburgh, interning with Kiewit

Twelve $2,000 Honorable Mention scholarships were received by:

• Aaron Martin, Murray State University, interning with Jim Smith Contracting
• David Joyner, California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, interning with Preston Pipelines
• Edyta Osieczko, University of Arkansas – Little Rock, interning with Austin Bridge & Road
• Gabriela Mayer, University of Florida, interning with The Lane Construction Corporation
• Gabriella Giordano, LeTourneau University, interning with Graniterock
• Joseph Halker, University of Cincinnati, interning with Walsh Construction
• Kent Beecham, California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, interning with John Madonna Construction Co., Inc.
• Luiselin Mujica, University of Florida, interning with The Lane Construction Corporation
• Manny Wheaton, Boise State University, interning with Engineered Structures, Inc.
• Matthew Favre, University of Texas, interning with Skanska USA
• Moath Mohammed, Louisiana Tech University, interning with Civil And Structural Engineers Intl.
• Ron Thompson, California State University – Long Beach, interning with W.L. Butler Const., Inc.

“Each year, the Construction Intern Awards program continues to grow as does the quality of our scholarship applicants. It is incredible the amount of hard work these young adults put into their schoolwork and their internships,” said HCSS CEO Mike Rydin. “These students are the future leaders of the industry, and the future of construction is in good hands.”

A selection committee and public online vote narrowed the entry field to the top 17 semifinalists, who were then judged by a panel of industry experts. "We are grateful that so many industry experts agreed to serve as judges," Rydin continues. "Without this caliber of judging, it is likely that this effort would not have been as successful as it has been. Not only have we been able to award a number of significant scholarships, but we are also spreading the knowledge of how summer intern programs can be used to make construction more attractive to today's students."