For the eighth consecutive year, KNA has awarded a Senior Project Grant to students in the Architectural Engineering (ARCE) program at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The official ceremony was held on June 8^th at the university. The annual award is given to students who have the ability to advance the art of the structural engineering profession with their projects.

Advancing the Art of Structural Engineering
To qualify, a senior student or team must demonstrate academic excellence and leadership in their ARCE career(s). The proposed project must have clearly defined goals along with measurable and obtainable results. Special emphasis is given to projects that have the potential to advance our profession.

Cal Poly engineering seniors receive award. — Cal Poly engineering seniors happily accept their project grant award. Pictured left to right: Onessa Anatasio, Enrico Alvaro, and ARCE Department Head Al Estes.

Larry Kaprielian, Principal of KNA Structural Engineers and an ARCE graduate, said of the grant, “We are happy to help support these talented students. When looking for engineers to join our firm, we look for dedicated, smart individuals who are forward-thinkers. The ARCE program tells us a lot about how those students think.”

This year’s winners are Enrico Alvaro and Onessa Anatasio, with James Mwangi as the faculty advisor. Their project was determining the Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) wall shear capacity between grout and face shell. Their motivation for the project came from a test requirement of the Division of the State Architect (DSA). The students worked directly with DSA, the Concrete Masonry Association of California and Nevada and the Masonry Institute of America.

Al Estes, Architectural Engineering Department Head, said of the KNA Senior Project Grant: “The scholarship program remains incredibly important to this department and to its students. As college becomes increasingly expensive for students, it is firms like KNA Structural Engineers that help relieve that burden through their generosity. I particularly like the senior project scholarships because they go to tangible hands-on, learn-by-doing projects.”

We thank Cal Poly for the opportunity to get to know these students and for the great learning environment they have.