Page 14 - Nov-Dec2022 Vol 40 No 5

STATEWIDE By Lisa Hood Skinner
Takin’ It To The Streets

Both Scholarship Winners See Future in Roadworks

TCAPWA recently announced happen,” Fortner said.
the winners of its two annual $2,000 He said he grew up watching his father,
scholarships. The scholarships are Bryan Fortner, Sevierville Public Works
awarded to children of TCAPWA Director, exhibit those very qualities
members or employees of TCAPWA related to roads and to assisting the city’s
member agencies who are planning on citizens. He said whenever he saw snow
enrolling in college or technical school. on a weekend or a holiday, “I knew (my
Congratulations to this year’s winners: dad) would be working to help maintain
Wesley Fortner and Brianna Lay, both of safe driving conditions. When I was
whom want to study issues affecting our younger, I was sad to see him go in to
roadways and streets. work on snow days; however, now I
realize how much of a responsibility he
had to keep the roads clear and safe for
public use.”
“Public Works is not just about
adapting to new changes that take hold,
but also about constantly providing Brianna Axie Lay
support to the public to keep people,
structures and the everyday environment Brianna Axie Lay, a UT student
safe for public use. I was able to witness pursuing a degree in civil engineering,
this firsthand when I was growing up,” said that growing up, “I was never
Fortner said. completely sure if I would be able to
Long before he entered college to attend a big college like the University
prepare for his vocation, others in his of Tennessee because I am from a
hometown noted his love for service single-parent household, as well as a
to others. Taylor A. Caldwell, Minister first-generation student. I did not really
of Education at First Baptist Church, know what college consisted of, or if it
would be worth the four extra years of
Wesley (Wes) Fortner Gatlinburg, said the young man “helped schooling.”
me tremendously with Children’s
Ministry, and constantly took leadership But the Knoxville resident said once
Wes Fortner, a UT student studying roles in Vacation Bible School and she enrolled and began attending UT, the
engineering and computer science, said other events. I have had the privilege of experiences and connections she made
he always has been interested in different ministering to and alongside him in a “have been very impactful and worth
aspects of Public Works and how those variety of venues,” citing church mission every minute. I discovered that I wanted
projects can enhance (or detract from) trips, service projects, and retreats. a career in civil engineering, specifically
our daily lives, such as traffic flow rates Since entering UT and becoming a becoming a design engineer for roadway
at different intersections and junctions, computer engineering major, Fortner and streetscape type projects, where
and issues affecting roads and travel has been active in a variety of activities, you must consider all utilities and their
infrastructure. including the College Ministry at First coordination.”
“While I do not know for certain what Baptist Concord, and in joining the In one of the Lay’s letters of
my future occupation will be, I have UT Tennis Club. He’s had additional recommendation, her ambition
always been interested by these topics work or internship experiences with and motivation outside school was
that can be directly applied to Public the U.S. Department of Justice, DENSO highlighted as a basis for integrity
Works,” he said. “I want to be able to help Manufacturing, The UT College of and future success. For example, Lay
people.” Agriculture and Design’s App Farm, worked as a volunteer for Make-a-Wish
“I believe in the future, all traffic will the UT Center for Ultra-Wide-Area Foundation in the Trailblaze Challenge,
be eradicated in some way by applying Resilient Electrical Energy Transmission in which she assisted hikers from 4
more technology to automobile and Networks, and the UT Academic Success a.m. until 7 p.m. on their 28.3-mile-
road infrastructure, so no matter what, Center. Along the way, he’s been named trek. She also founded a business she
many computer engineers and computer a Cook Grand Challenge Honors Scholar named Smiling Nyla, and self-taught
scientists must be involved. I would love and a Ned McWherter Scholar. herself sewing, screen printing and
to give my helping hand to make that woodworking.
14 TPW November/December 2022