International Transportation Foundation Awards $15,000 to Three Students Earning Transportation-Related Degrees

FOR RELEASE ON: January 4, 2021

CONTACT: Bill Cramer, Communications Director

[email protected] – 202.210.2962 mobile

Hampton University and the University of the District of Columbia Students Awarded Scholarships from the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association Foundation

Washington, DC – The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) Foundation, the educational and charitable arm of the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve them, announced today the selection of three undergraduate student’s receiving scholarships designed to support and encourage future transportation leaders. Selected from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), each student will receive a $5,000 scholarship to defray their costs of pursuing an undergraduate degree in a transportation-related field of study.

The IBTTA Foundation and the Task Force on Diversity, Social and Racial Inclusion recognize the importance of supporting higher education to strengthen our industry; and the necessity to provide more opportunities for mentorship and leadership in the transportation tolling industry. The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage and support Black students enrolled at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are pursuing academic degrees that can lead to a rewarding career in transportation. This scholarship reflects IBTTA's commitment to fostering diversity in the tolling industry and our recent partnership with the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials.

“This year’s recipients are completing their studies in very challenging times. Our industry is adapting rapidly to change all around us,” said Frank McCartney, Chair, IBTTA Foundation and Principal, FGM Consulting. “We congratulate this year’s scholarship winners who represent the best and brightest, who will be transportation change-agents as innovation and new technologies revolutionize how people work and travel about the country and the world.”

The 2020 IBTTA Foundation Scholarship HBCU Recipients are:

• Mubarek Abdela, from Washington, DC, studying computer science at the University of the District of Columbia;

• Tatyanna Sutton, from Prince George’s County, Upper Marlboro, MD, studying cybersecurity at Hampton University; and

• Getaante Yilma, from Washington, DC, studying computer science at the University of the District of Columbia.

“We are thrilled to award scholarships to these three outstanding students to help support their degrees,” said Samuel Johnson, CEO, Transportation Corridor Agencies and 2020 IBTTA President. “The IBTTA Foundation is proud to support our future leaders and their contributions to enhancing mobility. Incorporating this next generation’s ideas and passion around the environment, habitat and social equity will be essential to future efforts to improve the movement of goods and people around the world.”

The 2020 scholarship recipients will be recognized for their achievement during IBTTA’s virtual Board of Directors Meeting on January 13, 2021.

For more information about IBTTA, please visit www.IBTTA.org or contact Bill Cramer at [email protected] or 202-210-2962.

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About IBTTA

The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) is the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve tolling. Founded in 1932, IBTTA has members in more than 26 countries on six continents. Through advocacy, thought leadership and education, members are implementing state-of-the-art, innovative user-based transportation financing solutions to address the critical infrastructure challenges of the 21st Century. For more information, visit www.ibtta.org or join us on Twitter @IBTTA or #TollRoads.