Atkins supports SAME with scholarship grants

Atkins News Release, April 20, 2012: Atkins supports SAME Posts nationwide with engineering scholarship grants

Tampa, FL — Atkins is stepping up its long-time support for the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) by awarding $50,000 in scholarship donations nationwide, reflecting Atkins’ commitment to promote the education of America’s future engineers. Since February, SAME Posts have been delighted to receive $5,000 contributions to their education scholarship funds, including the San Antonio, Hampton Roads, Huntsville, Jacksonville, Savannah, Mobile, Scott Field, Fort Worth, Baltimore, and Sacramento Posts.

The San Antonio Post Education and Mentoring Fund was the first to receive a $5,000 donation. Atkins project director Scott Smiley, PE, presented the San Antonio, Texas members with a check on Valentine’s Day. Soon after, Atkins senior program manager Dennis Yates, CFM visited the Scott Field Post to present them with a $5,000 donation for their Education and Mentoring Fund. “This was absolutely unforeseen and greatly appreciated,” said Scott Field Post President Lt. Col. Christian Knutson, PE, PMP.

After receiving their $5,000 contribution from Atkins, the Mobile Post in Alabama announced the establishment of the SAME-Atkins Scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship to be awarded to students pursuing a degree in engineering. The donation was awarded by Atkins project manager Philip LeGrand, CCI, CCPM, on March 21.

“The Mobile Post has awarded 28 scholarships totaling $119,000 since 1993, but we have turned away many deserving applicants due to funding limitations. Thanks to the support of Atkins, we will be able to award one more scholarship to one more student for the next five years,” said Mobile Post President Col. Steven Roemhildt.

When surprised with a $5,000 contribution from Atkins, Huntsville Post President Philip Loftis echoed these sentiments. “This is the second time in recent years your company has donated to our scholarship fund. Our country is in dire need of engineers, and your donation can help fill that need,” wrote Loftis. The donation—presented by Atkins vice president Eugene Yerkes, PE, AICP, to SAME Huntsville scholarship chair Charles Joyner—will be used to establish a scholarship in Atkins’ name and to support scholarships to the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Alabama A&M University.

All ten scholarships were awarded through The Atkins Foundation, Inc.’s Challenge Grant program. Announced in summer 2011, this program helps Atkins’ North American subsidiaries expand their charitable giving programs by encouraging employees to identify educational programs that have a significant impact in their region or nationwide. The Atkins Foundation supports community education initiatives through scholarships and grants for public/private institutions of learning, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math.

A long-time corporate supporter of SAME nationwide, Atkins is a Sustaining Member of 45 SAME Posts with more than 200 employee-members throughout the US. For more than a decade, Atkins Sustaining Member representatives have served on the SAME Board of Direction and have taken active leadership positions, serving on boards and conference planning committees, mentoring young professionals, and supporting educational activities.

Click images to enlarge:

Atkins senior program manager Dennis Yates (left) presents a $5,000 scholarship grant to Scott Field Post President Lt. Col. Christian Knutson.	Atkins project director Scott Smiley (right) presents a $5,000 donation to Major Paul Sutto of the San Antonio Post.
(L-R) Atkins’ Samantha Harn, Larry Romine, and Lem Du Bose present a $5,000 donation to Fort Worth Post President Eric Canales and Scholarship Chair J.B West.	Atkins vice president Eugene Yerkes (right) presents a $5,000 donation to Charles Joyner, Chairman of the SAME Huntsville Post Scholarship Committee.

About Atkins

Atkins is one of the world’s leading engineering and design consultancies*, employing some 17,700 people across the UK, North America, Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Europe. It has the breadth and depth of expertise to plan, design, and enable some of the world’s most technically challenging and time critical infrastructure projects.

*It is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK (New Civil Engineer Consultants File 2011) and the 13th largest international design firm (Engineering News-Record 2011).

Recent projects include:

• Critical program management of storm protection works in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana, providing expertise in coastal restoration, engineering, environmental and GIS support to rebuild defenses and protect habitats.
• Architectural and construction phase services for the new Tyndall Air Force Base Fitness Center, meeting LEED Platinum standards without impact to project cost.
• Equal partner in a joint venture that is providing full-service program/project management support for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a $7.8-billion project encompassing ecological restoration, water storage, flood control, and recreation.
• Key transit projects – member of joint venture providing general engineering consultant team for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and project management oversight contractor for the Federal Transit Administration for major transit projects throughout the US.
• Lead firm on the Ascend, Joint Venture, LLC team, which is designing the $1.2-billion Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. International Terminal roadway system at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
• Meeting stringent nutrient removal requirements for wastewater treatment plants in the Chesapeake Bay area through design of upgrades to Howard County, Maryland’s Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission’s Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant, and design and construction of enhanced nutrient removal facilities at Anne Arundel County’s Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant.
• Multi-year architecture-engineering construction management services for the National Park Service in the USA, including projects such as rehabilitation of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Administrative Complex at California’s Death Valley to meet the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification standards.