Deja Jackson is a Ph.D. student working with Dr. Siva Srinivasan at the UFTI. She was recently awarded the WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff Women in Leadership Scholarship. The award was presented to her during the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) at the 45th National Meeting & Training Conference in Dallas, TX, July 8-12, 2016. The  scholarship was created to honor Tracey Bessellieu who was the former vice president and director of talent at Parsons Brinckerhoff for her leadership in the transportation industry.

“I am happy to have had the pleasure of knowing Tracey Bessellieu since first meeting her in July 2015 at the previous conference,” Jackson said.

The scholarship is intended for a female student pursuing a graduate degree in the field of civil engineering or related studies with interest in leadership in transportation and who has exhibited an active commitment to community service and diversity. This is the second year in a row that Jackson has been awarded this scholarship.

“I can neither quantify nor describe the countless opportunities that I’ve received since being awarded the WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff Women in Leadership Scholarship for the first time in 2015 and becoming a part of the COMTO family,” Jackson said. “I’m humbled in knowing that WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff has found me to be befitting of the scholarship and that they continue to support my academic pursuits in wanting to make the way we travel safer.”