By Rick Gardner
The RCI-IIBEC Foundation is excited to announce the eight winners of its 2025–2026 Robert W. Lyons and RCI Lewis W. Newlan academic scholarships. The $5,000 Lyons scholarship is specifically for undergraduate education expenses for students studying construction or building sciences, architecture, or engineering. The RCI Lewis W. Newlan scholarship is for $2,500 and is open to both undergraduate and graduate students—again for studies in construction or building sciences, architecture, or engineering. Altogether, the 2025–2026 scholarships total $30,000.
Scholarship winners are selected based on financial need, letters of recommendation, and the student’s request for consideration.
This year’s scholarship recipients follow.
Robert W. Lyons Scholarship Recipients
Rosalyn Becicka
Rosalyn Becicka is working on her bachelor’s degree in architecture at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She has been on the dean’s list and president’s list multiple times and is a Wells Concrete Competition finalist; a 2024 Associated Schools of Construction Design Build first-place winner; and a 2025 PCI Precast Conference Student Competition first-place winner (People’s Choice Award).
Branden Farano
Branden Farano attends Middlesex College in Edison, New Jersey, and is studying engineering science. Farano is president of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society – Upsilon Gamma Chapter and president of the Student Government Association. He was awarded one of two NJ All State Academic Team medals for Middlesex College.
Brandon Hluchan
Brandon Hluchan is working on his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at California Baptist University in Riverside, California. He is a member of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, the Order of the Engineer, and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). His interests include reading books, playing guitar, and singing.
Kelsey Medina
Kelsey Medina studies civil engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Medina is an active member of the Society of Hispanic Engineers Club, 2024–2025 Presidential List Award recipient, and a member of the SOAR (Serving, Organizing, Advocating, and Reflecting) Volunteering Club. (SOAR is the student-led civic engagement programming board that exists to provide opportunities for direct community service, societal issue awareness and education, and advocacy.) During her free time, she enjoys playing soccer and volleyball.
RCI Lewis W. Newlan Scholarship Recipients
Anna Davidson
Anna Davidson is working on her master’s degree in architecture at the Spitzer School of Architecture at CCNY. Davidson is a recipient of the Bernard and Anne Spitzer Scholarship. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, hiking, skiing, camping, and being near a lake or ocean. She enjoys exploring New York City.
Jessica Nolasco
Jessica Nolasco attends the City University of New York: City College and studies architecture. She serves as treasurer of the Graduate Architecture Club (GArc). Additionally, she was winner of the 2024 “Recipe for a Room” AIA contest.
Matthew Nunn
Matthew Nunn is an undergraduate from Orlando, Florida, studying civil engineering at Louisiana State University (LSU). He is a member of LSU’s Army ROTC program and is active in both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers.
Miles Springer
Miles Springer is completing his master’s degree in architectural engineering at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He is spending this summer in Boston, Massachusetts, as an architectural lighting design intern at Lam Partners.
Since these scholarships were established, the foundation has donated $227,500 to support 65 students through these academic scholarships. Many thanks go out to all the foundation donors who made these scholarships possible. Donations continue to be accepted to support both scholarship funds. For more information, visit the foundation’s website at https://rci-iibecfoundation.org/donate-2/ (US) or https://rcifoundation.ca/donate/ (Canada), or contact Foundations Development Officer Rick Gardner at 919-859-0742 or rgardner@iibec.org.
