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DFI Educational Trust awards 12 scholarships at annual gala

News | January 22, 2026 | By:

The Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) Educational Trust recently awarded scholarships from the Stanley Merjan City College of New York Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund, George J. Tamaro Manhattan College Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund and the William F. Loftus Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Group of 12 scholarship recipients in formal attire, posing together indoors with elegant decor, soft lighting, and a mirrored wall in the background.
The scholarship winners were recognized at the Trust’s Annual Gala held in New York. Photo courtesy of DFI.

Four Grove School of Engineering students received awards from the Stanley Merjan City College of New York Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund. The fund was established in 2010 and is named for the late Stanley Merjan, an inspiration and mentor to young engineers throughout the construction industry, and a graduate of City College of New York. The recipients were seniors Authoy Khondoker and Jurgen Lala, who each received $5,000, and juniors Alexander Estrella and Chaw Nandar, who each received $2,500.

Eight Manhattan University students each received $2,500 awards, two from the William F. Loftus Memorial Scholarship Fund, recently established in memory of Bill Loftus, a DFI founder and the only DFI president to serve twice. The recipients were seniors Tito Mora and Julia Tsesmetzis. And six from the George J. Tamaro Manhattan College Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is named for George J. Tamaro, a member of the first class of DFI Legends award winners and a graduate of Manhattan University. The recipients, all senior civil engineering students, were Armando Flores, Bruce Jiang, Sabrina Kievit, Volodymyr Kurchak, Isabella O’Hara and Domenick Recine.

To donate to these and other scholarship funds, visit www.trust.dfi.org.

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