November 21, 2025

By Lane Kimble

Three young men and one woman working toward future careers in the transportation construction industry learned this week they’d get a significant financial boost.

The WTBA of Tomorrow selected the association’s annual scholarship winners Monday during its fall meeting in Madison.

Abram Helsell (UW-Stout) and Andrew Lukanus (Marquette University) will each receive $5,000 Engineering scholarships.

Kaylee Pickering and Wilson Baltus (both from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College) each won $3,000 Engineering Tech awards.

WTBA will celebrate the winners during the Contractor-Engineer Conference awards dinner Thursday, Jan. 15 in Wisconsin Dells. Generous donations from the Scholarship Auction held during the WTBA Annual Convention pay for the scholarship program.

The WTBA of Tomorrow also had the opportunity to meet with two Division of Transportation System Development management team members during the meeting.

Deputy Administrator Michael Hoelker and Bureau of Project Development Deputy Director Brian Boothby detailed major project developments, materials testing updates, Design-Build progress, DBE program recertification, and how to better resolve issues in the field.

Their attendance demonstrated a strong commitment to collaboration and communication between WisDOT and WTBA, which Matt Grove frequently helps foster.

The WTBA of Tomorrow, led by Elise Nelson, now moves into auction item collection mode. The councilmembers divided up a lengthy list of contacts to begin asking for donations for February’s scholarship auction. Last year’s auction raised a record $276,000 for the Transportation Education Fund.

Special thanks to Dustin Hunt and HNTB for hosting the group in their spectacular new Madison office!