Student Scholarship Winners

The Paul E. R. Abrahamson scholarship awards for 2000 were presented to Jennifer Bjorge, Eric Berge, and Brock Lautenschlager. The scholarship is granted to undergraduate students pursuing a degree in agricultural economics with an interest in transportation.

The 2000 Transportation Engineering Scholarships were awarded to Jason Link and Derek Kost. The scholarship is granted to undergraduate students pursuing a degree at North Dakota State University in Civil Engineering with an interest in transportation.

Funding for the scholarships is provided by the Mountain-Plains Consortium through a grant from the United States Department of Transportation University Transportation Centers Program. The scholarships were presented to the winners at the UGPTI Annual Awards Banquet October 5, 2000.

Eric Berge

Interested in minimizing transportation costs through efficiency. Eric Berge hopes to work in grain merchandising. Commodity marketing is an interest enhanced by courses in agricultural economics.

Berge plans to graduate from North Dakota State University with a bachelor of science in agricultural economics. He developed a financial plan for Roundup Ready sugarbeets through NAMA (National Agri- Marketing Association), is a member of the Agri-Business Club, and Saddle and Sirloin Club.

Brock Lautenschlager

Brock Lautenschlager created a custom option of study to concentrate in accounting in agricultural economics. He plans a career in the management and marketing industry in the grain merchandising industry following his 2001 graduation from North Dakota State University.

Lautenschlager is an Agri-Business Club and Golden Key National Honor Society member. He also organized intramural sports.

Derek Kost

As a youngster, Derek Kost traveled in California and wondered how people could find their way on the intricate highway systems in the larger cities. He noted freeways entangle with so many other raods, exits and entrances. When he came to North Dakota State University, he realized transportation was about more than moving people.

He viewed a government natural gas pipeline being run into Canada during his summer job. He noted the precision needed in the practical application of engineering.

A civil engineeing major, he will graduate in the spring of 2001.

Jason Link

Trains have been a fascination for North Dakota State University senior Jason Link since he was a boy. His civil engineering and transportation interest was mapped for him by his wondering about the many decisions needed to sustain and operate a railroad.

Link has worked for Ulteig Engineers Inc., Bismarck, N.D., for four summers. His experience allowed him to work with the sub-base and base foundation for an airport runway and the asphalt paving for the runway; street improvements that included storm and sanitary sewers, water mains and services; a pipeline route; a sludge pond for a coal-fired, electrical generating plant and aeration system for a sewer treatment pond.

He is vice president of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and a member of both the Institute of Transportation Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers at NDSU. He serves on the NDSU civil engineering student advisory committee.