UW Construction Management Program Offers Two New Scholarships

The University of Wyoming Construction Management Program is now offering its first two scholarships.

The first is the Joseph and Patricia Grabowski Scholarship in Construction Management, established by Joe, a 1982 UW alumnus, and Patty Grabowski. The second, the Marcy Civil and Architectural Engineering Excellence Fund, was established by Dewey Marcy, a friend of UW and the personal representative for the Samuel J. Marcy Estate. 

“These are the first two program scholarships dedicated to the new Construction Management Program at UW,” says Francois Jacobs, a UW associate professor of civil and architectural engineering in the Construction Management Program. “Students in the program will be eligible to receive the scholarships to help support their construction management academic journey at UW.” 

The Grabowskis made a total gift commitment of $25,000 to establish a nonendowed scholarship. The purpose of this nonendowed scholarship is to recruit and retain well-rounded individuals who are residents of the United States and who are enrolled in UW’s Construction Management Program.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must demonstrate strong academic achievement, with a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average (GPA), which could include a combination of UW and transfer GPAs. Recipients also must be positive representatives for the Construction Management Program. One or more recipients will be selected annually, with yearly amounts of $2,500 awarded.

“It has been an honor and privilege for Patty and me to support the development of the new Engineering Education and Research Building and, now, to continue that support through establishing a new scholarship program for construction management students,” Joe Grabowski says. “Over 40 years ago, UW placed a bet on a long-haired kid and awarded a full scholarship to get my master’s degree.

“We are forever grateful to UW and the state of Wyoming, and remain humbled for the endless opportunities that provided us throughout our lives and careers,” Grabowski continues. “Patty and I have been truly blessed as a result of UW’s generosity 40 years ago and, now, we are placing our own bet on the next generation of UW students.”

Sam Marcy’s estate made a total gift commitment of $170,000 to establish an endowed excellence fund. Appropriations for expenditure from the fund will be used to foster excellence and provide financial support to the UW Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering. The fund may support student scholarships in areas such as the Construction Management Program.  

Because this is an excellence fund that can support both the department and scholarships, there is no set annual scholarship award. Rather, it will be at the discretion of the department to use the funds strategically, says Teddi Freedman, a director of development for the UW Foundation.

“As executor of my brother, Sam Marcy’s estate, I had the opportunity to talk with Sam about possible choices for the charitable donation portion of his estate,” Dewey Marcy explains. “Sam was agreeable to giving a gift to the University of Wyoming Department of Civil Engineering.”

Sam Marcy received a Ph.D. in civil engineering, was a Wyoming resident, and took the time to visit UW’s civil engineering department, Dewey Marcy says.

“Sam was always interested in what the students were doing, and became actively involved by suggesting several possible senior design projects,” Dewey Marcy says. “One suggestion was to synchronize binoculars so that one person could help another to find a point of interest. The University of Wyoming patented this suggestion and received a patent, which has Sam’s name on it as co-inventor.”

How to eliminate piles of tumbleweeds that accumulate against snow fences along the highways was another project suggested by Sam Marcy.

“Our family is pleased to see that the civil engineering department at the University of Wyoming will have this gift from Sam’s estate to help with their continuing work with civil engineering students,” Dewey Marcy says.

To learn more about UW’s Construction Management Program, visit www.uwyo.edu/civil/construction-management/index.html.