Scholarship recipients set sights on industry careers
NPCA recently awarded nine undergraduate students with an NPCA Foundation Scholarship to help them reach their educational goals and begin building a future in the precast concrete industry. In this issue, NPCA features three more of the student recipients. Find out more about their introduction to precast, educational goals and interests.
John Paul Koch
San Antonio, Texas
Texas State
John Paul Koch doesn’t come from a construction background but was introduced through a family member. Since then, he has been fully committed to working toward concrete management. He finds the industry exciting because every day is different and there is so much to learn. He was then introduced through a college friend, Kaid Nyren, who was awarded an NPCA Foundation scholarship last year. Nyren got Koch his first job in the industry, and, from there, he was able to learn more about precast and to work in a precast plant.
Koch is going into his senior year at Texas State, studying concrete industry management. His goals are to get PCI Level 3 certified and grow in the industry. He is focused on expanding his network and building his character as his future progresses. Koch is currently a part of the Texas State NCI student organization. Koch came across this scholarship through Kaid and being associated with an NPCA-certified plant. He feels honored to have received the scholarship and is excited for the opportunities that it brings.
Outside of school, Koch plays basketball and loves staying athletic. He enjoys hanging out with his family and is always looking to build new hobbies.
Alfredo Ortiz
San Juan, Puerto Rico
University of Michigan
Ever since he was little, Alfredo Ortiz loved building things, whether it was puzzles, Legos, you name it. After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, something sparked Ortiz’s interest in construction, and, from then on, it has been his goal to study civil engineering. Ortiz learned about the precast concrete industry through research and by familiarizing himself with the concrete industry after he figured out that’s what he wanted to pursue. When he came across the precast world, he learned that components don’t necessarily have to be built on site. He was able to visit a local precast plant and see precast in action.
Ortiz will be entering his freshman year at the University of Michigan to study civil engineering. During his college career, he hopes to expand his network, learn from professionals in the industry and grow his knowledge of construction systems and materials. After graduation, his ultimate goal is to become a real estate developer, gaining some experience under others at first and then venturing off to create his own company. His inspiration to become a real estate developer comes from what he sees as wasted potential in Puerto Rico. He believes there are a lot of opportunities there, in terms of building, construction and being able to minimize the harm to the environment. He wants to build with the environment, not against it.
During high school, Ortiz was the student body president and founded a chemistry club at the school. He also was a part of the American Chemical Society and a part of the Green Ambassadors Club, a sustainable club promoting green stewardship. Outside of school, Ortiz enjoys mountain biking and playing golf.
Anthony Zacieracha
Mountainside, New Jersey
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Anthony Zacieracha was motivated to enter the concrete industry through a high school recruiter who introduced him to the concrete industry management program at NJIT. He’s passionate about the hands-on nature of the degree and sees it as a unique educational path. His plan to share this passion involves being an “outreach person” for his degree, which he feels is relatively unknown. He’s already taking steps toward this by founding a student chapter for ACI, ICRI and PCI at NJIT and serving as its vice president.
While his future plans are still up in the air, Zacieracha wants to be a good resource for incoming college students and help them understand the opportunities in concrete industry management. He is excited to have the opportunity to connect with more professionals in the construction and precast concrete industry. Zacieracha is currently working an internship with a general contracting company, which he says has helped him gain experience and more insight into the construction industry.
Outside of school, Zacieracha describes himself as a gearhead who loves working on motorcycles and cars. He also is a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity.