Annual Report Year 2009 - Civil and Environmental Engineering

MEET THE VIA SCHOLARS
The following pages highlight some of the country’s
most exceptional students and alumni, the Via
Scholars. The motivation and aspirations of
this group reflect a profound curiosity and desire to
improve the quality of life around the world — from
helping municipalities manage growth, to the aesthetics
of structures, the quality of water, and international
development.
The Via scholarships are made possible through the
generosity of the late Mrs. Marion Bradley Via of Roanoke,
Va., and her family. In 1987, Mrs. Via contributed $5 million
each to the Departments of Electrical and Computer
Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors subsequently named the
ECE department in honor of Mrs. Via’s deceased father,
Harry Lynde Bradley, and the CEE department in honor of
her late husband, Charles E. Via, Jr. Mrs. Via died in 1993.
Both departments use a portion of the endowment
to award scholarships to qualifying students. These
scholarships are among the most competitive in the country.
The Via endowment is now worth more than $15 million.
44 | VIA REPORT | 2008
2009 | VIA REPORT | 41