Civil and Systems Engineering (CaSE) second-year student Abigail Aranda-Lopez was recently honored with the American Council of Engineering Companies of Maryland (ACEC/MD)’s William R. Kahl Scholarship. Sponsored by local Maryland civil engineering firm RK&K (Rummel, Klepper & Kahl), this highly competitive award is given to the top-ranked civil engineering student who submits an application each year.
Associate Teaching Professor and the department’s director of undergraduate studies, Rachel Sangree, says that “Abigail exemplifies excellence both inside and outside the classroom. She is a diligent student and excellent communicator who always maintains a positive attitude.”
Aranda-Lopez takes a proactive approach when it comes to her education and real-world experience. As a first-year student, she sought out and secured an internship with D.S. Thaler & Associates. “While working as a summer intern with D.S. Thaler, I completed utility, stormwater management and grading designs. I also shadowed a surveyor and assisted with stake placement for retention walls. I am incredibly grateful for the hands-on experience which allowed me to put my education into practice and reinforced my decision to become civil engineer,” she said.
In addition to academic pursuits, Aranda-Lopez serves as Recording Secretary for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter and initiated the chapter’s Instagram page. She also serves as the academic and recruitment chairwoman in Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc., a Latina-oriented sorority focused on increasing awareness of Latino culture, and is a member of La Organización Latina Estudiantil (OLE), which works to create a more inclusive collegiate experience for Latinx students at Johns Hopkins.
“Winning the Kahl Scholarship is an incredible honor and validation of the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my studies and extracurricular activities. It’s not just a financial reward but a recognition of my commitment to civil engineering and the impact I hope to make in the future,” said Aranda-Lopez.