DFI Educational Trust Announces Three New Scholarship Funds

Hawthorne, NJ (December 2, 2013): The DFI Educational Trust announces the establishment of three new scholarship programs: the Manual Fine Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund, John O’Malley Scholarship Fund and Francis Gularte Scholarship Fund.

The Manuel Fine Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund was established through a $25,000 donation from the Heavy Construction Association of Ontario. The fund honors Manuel Fine, who served DFI for 24 years in many roles, including trustee, president, executive director, managing editor of Deep Foundations magazine, and in recent years, as publisher of the DFI Journal. The fund will provide scholarships for civil engineering students attending universities in Canada. Patrick Bermingham, of Bermingham Foundation Solutions and vice president of the DFI Board of Trustees, is chair of the fundraising drive.

The John O’Malley Scholarship Fund was launched with a pledge from Case Foundation Company for an annual donation of $10,000 over 10 years to fund a scholarship in honor of O’Malley, past chairman of the company, for his 40 years of exemplary service and leadership to the construction industry.  The goal is to raise a $250,000 total endowment fund to provide a minimum $10,000 scholarship each year to undergraduate civil engineering students who have financial need and an interest in the deep foundations industry.

The Francis Gularte Scholarship Fund was established through the efforts of John Wolosick (treasurer of DFI and the DFI Educational Trust) and Hayward Baker, in honor of Gularte, a long-time executive at Hayward Baker and accomplished industry leader. The fund received an initial donation of $10,000 from Hayward Baker and a $15,000 pledge from Gularte. Wolosick is currently spearheading a fundraising drive with a goal of achieving a minimum endowment fund of $75,000.

About the DFI Educational Trust

The Deep Foundations Institute Educational Trust (www.trust.dfi.org) is an independent, 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization established in 2006 by the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) as its charitable arm. The mission of the Trust is to support and encourage individuals in the fields of study related to the deep foundation industry by providing scholarships and opportunities to meet and work with deep foundation industry leaders.

About the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI)

DFI (www.dfi.org) is an international association of contractors, engineers, suppliers, academics and owners in the deep foundations industry. Our multi-disciplinary membership creates a consensus voice and a common vision for continual improvement in the planning, design and construction of deep foundations and excavations. We bring together members for networking, education, communication and collaboration. With our members, we promote the advancement of the deep foundations industry through technical committees, educational programs and conferences, publications, research, government relations and outreach. DFI has more than 3,000 members worldwide.

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