MICHIGAN CHAPTER AWARDEES
LINDSAY JOHNSON is a recent graduate of Cass Technical High School and will be attending Howard University in the fall. Maintaining a 3.3 GPA, she was a National Honors Society member, an Academic Game participant, and Captain of her Varsity Track and Field team. Lindsay consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to her studies, excelling academically while engaging in extracurricular activities and community service. Her volunteer work includes assisting shelters, helping with youth groups, and starting her own shoe drive. Lindsay states that volunteering has taught her that it doesn’t cost you anything to share your talents with someone for free. Lindsay is also an entrepreneur at heart. As an entrepreneur, she runs a hair styling business and launched a natural hair care products line in December 2023. Her passion for helping others drives her to further her education at Howard University.
CABRESHA GRAVES is a recent graduate of Cass Technical High School with a 4.1 GPA and will be attending Alabama A&M in the fall. Proud of her achievements, she is involved in various activities, including Pink Pearls AKA Teen group, President of the Girl Advisory Board, Lacrosse player, Girl Scout Ambassador, Midnight Golf Program participant, and Lawrence Technological University’s dual enrollment program. Cabresha actively contributes to school life, displaying academic excellence, compassion, leadership, and professionalism in every endeavor. Described as one of the top 10% of students by a seasoned educator, she is poised for success in college and beyond.
KENNEDY BEEMAN is a recent graduate of Waterford Mott High School and will be pursuing a double major in Civil Engineering and Landscape Architecture at Michigan State University. With a a 3.86 GPA, she balances academics and travel athletics, while actively engaging in charitable acts of service in her community. For the past two years, Kennedy has been the sole female performing maintenance at a local athletic facility, showcasing her dedication and work ethic. Excelling academically, particularly in STEM Physics and STEM Research and Design courses, Kennedy demonstrates exceptional skills and a passion for hands-on learning. Inspired by COMTO’s mission and the ‘2024 Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation’ Event, she looks forward to contributing her problem-solving abilities and enthusiasm to the organization.
SHARMYN ELLIOTT LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP
COLIN PEARSON is a junior studying Civil Engineering at Michigan State University, where he maintains a 3.87 GPA. Volunteering and service have always been significant parts of Colin’s life. He specifically joins organizations that prioritize volunteerism and service. Colin’s advisor notes that a hallmark of Colin’s student leadership style is his dedication to his teammates. While Colin has been elected by his peers to serve as Vice President for the Honors College Activities Board in the 2024-2025 academic year, he has also agreed to continue serving as treasurer until the organization can recruit a new executive board member to fill that role. Colin was initiated into MSU’s Chi Epsilon student honor society this academic year and was awarded one of the prestigious competitive academic scholarships designated for active Chi Epsilon members. Through these organizations, he volunteered to distribute food directly to Lansing residents and served as a mentor to other students. Working side by side with organizations and becoming the service coordinator for Chi Epsilon taught Colin how to serve better and volunteer more impactfully, while also giving him the opportunity to teach others about the importance of service.
GARRETT MORGAN SCHOLARSHIP
NIA MATTHEWS is an undergraduate in the Honors College at Oakland University with a 3.84 GPA. Nia is a member of several organizations including the Oakland University Student Activity Funding Board, and the Oakland University Pre-College Program. Additionally, Nia is the President of the Golden Anime Society and Secretary of Entrepreneurs in Action at Oakland University. Nia is also active in volunteerism. She volunteers her time as the secretary of the Matthews Foundation. She participates at the Haven Shelter for People Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence. She is an Earth Day volunteer and volunteers her time at church. Nia’s former supervisor states she has watched her grow to an intelligent and motivated individual. Nia’s has a gift with people and has great customer service skills. Nia also has a passion for writing and will be studying abroad this summer in Korea.
ERIKA IGARASHI-CUMMINGS is from Southfield, Michigan and is an undergraduate at Norfolk State University (NSU) pursuing a degree in Construction Management Engineering and Technology with a 3.60 GPA. Actively engaged in community and leadership initiatives, she currently serves as the Chartering Vice-President for the National Association of Home Builders (NSU Chapter), Vice President and member of the Robert C. Nusbaum Honors College Student Association, and Chartering President and member of the Collegiate Midnight Golf Program. Erika played a pivotal role in the opening of the NSU Golf Simulator on campus, coordinating the first students to test and demonstrate the capabilities of the new $1 million dollar center. Described as exceptional, dynamic, and reliable, Erika’s positive attitude brings joy to those around her, contributing to the overall success of Norfolk State University.
OLUWANIFEMI ADEGBULGBE is a student in the Civil Engineering PhD program at Wayne State University with an interest in Transportation Engineering and Planning. Oluwanifemi maintains a 3.74 GPA and is a student member of COMTO, NSBE, ITE, SWE and ASCE. She demonstrates a passion to ensure equitable, safe, and reliable transportation through her work and research. To date, Oluwanifemi has completed two transportation research projects, including a project titled “Developing an Algorithm Using Connected Vehicle Technology to Enhance Older Drivers’ Freeway Merging Maneuver”. Her academic capability and dedication have been described as exceptional and is a strong advocate for other students in transportation engineering at Wayne State. Nifemi’s robust engineering and statistics background and her passion for transportation research position her well for a successful career. After her PhD, Nifemi plans to continue researching different aspects of equity in transportation while providing consulting services in the transportation industry.
FOLARIN (AKINFOLARIN) ABATAN is a COMTO student in the Civil Engineering PhD program at Michigan State University, maintaining a 3.92 GPA. Prior to joining MSU, he served as a graduate research assistant, accumulating two years of practical experience as a traffic engineer with the city of Detroit. Currently, Folarin leads efforts in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 15-75, aimed at updating guidance in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Green Book regarding acceleration, deceleration, and stopping sight distance. He conducts investigations using naturalistic driving data to support this project and a companion study on the impacts of driver distraction on traffic safety. Folarin’s on data collection, analysis, and decision-support tools aims to reduce traffic crashes’ frequency and severity, aligning with Michigan’s goal of Toward Zero Deaths.
MORGAN VANDORP is an undergraduate studying engineering at Taylor University with a 3.7 GPA. She has made an excellent start at Taylor University, demonstrating leadership and initiative. For example, Morgan led a team to create a certification program for first-year engineering students to access the Taylor Advanced Additive Manufacturing Studio, housing the department’s 3D printers. She developed a 3D Printing training seminar, including a PowerPoint presentation and instructional manual, attracting nearly 20 students to her first two sessions. Her sessions consistently reach full capacity. Recognizing her advanced skill set and leadership potential, Morgan has been selected for a co-president position in 2024-2025 for TWEET (Taylor Women Engaging in Engineering and Technology), a club dedicated to promoting leadership in young women pursuing technical degrees in engineering, computer science, and similar fields. Dr. Nobles-Lookingbill articulates that Morgan will be a stellar representative for the COMTO Michigan Chapter and for the transportation sector, leveraging her care for others alongside her engineering and leadership abilities.
CORWIN MATTHEWS an alum of Michigan Tech University, currently holds a 4.0 GPA as a COMTO student at Oakland University, where he aims to obtain a doctorate in Organizational Leadership with a focus on Local Government/Municipal Planning. His goal is to influence the future of Transit by implementing flexible route systems and micro-transit solutions, while addressing bus driver shortages and enhancing bus technology. Actively involved with the Mass Transportation Authority, Corwin has played a pivotal role in various services, properties, and upgrades, fostering partnerships with organizations such Consumers Energy, Kettering University, and the University of Michigan – Flint. Beyond his professional endeavors, Corwin is engaged in community service as a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, participating in mentoring programs to positively impact society.
ELIZABETH BORG is an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, pursuing a degree and career in civil engineering with a 3.89 GPA. Recently, she was honored with the James B. Angell Scholar award recognizing her consecutive “A” record for two or more terms. While at U of M, Elizabeth participated in undergraduate research in the Digital Water Lab. Collaborating with professors and PhD students, she contributed to developing open-source technology for monitoring and controlling water systems affordably. Elizabeth’s main responsibilities involved coding in Python, and she worked throughout the year to create a dashboard displaying key metrics. She aspires to deepen her knowledge in transportation and construction engineering to contribute to safer transportation systems through her career.