Alber Family Scholarship for Civil and Construction Engineering
The Alber Family Scholarship for Civil and Construction Engineering was established in 2003 by Michelle and Ken Alber in respect for their ardent value for higher education. This scholarship is to be awarded to an undergraduate civil or construction engineering student with preference to one who demonstrates a commitment to academic studies and community service.
Ken Alber earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from The University of Akron in 1982. While at ¹ú²ú¾«Æ·, Ken was active with the Lambda Chi Fraternity. He valued the beyond-the-classroom experience gained from the fraternity's community service programs and established enduring friendships and brotherhood with his fraternity brothers. Ken also, holds an MBA degree.
Ken has enjoyed a well-versed career in civil engineering and commercial building, including his most recent venture in 2000 as founding partner of the PENTA Building Group. Today, PENTA Building Group is among the leading private commercial general contractors in the nation. The company, headquartered in Las Vegas, NV, also has operations in Reno, Palm Desert, Kona HI. The company was chosen as the "Contractor of the Year" by the Las Vegas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America in 2005 and Entrepreneur of the Year by In Business Las Vegas. Engineering News Record ranked the firm as 163rd among the top 400 general contractors in the US. PENTA Building Group partners with The University of Akron in providing both cooperative education and full-time employment opportunities to ¹ú²ú¾«Æ· engineering students.
Ken and Michelle have an active family of four children - Ryan 18, Lauren 16, Brandon 13, and Chaston 13. They enjoy attending football and lacrosse games while still catching a Browns, Indians, or Buckeye game when the teams travel west.
The Alber Family Scholarship for Civil and Construction Engineering provides for an annual undergraduate scholarship to a deserving civil or construction engineering student who demonstrates outstanding personal characteristics, including a strong work ethic and a dedication to engineering and community service. The recipient will be an incoming or returning student with an overall grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
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