The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s national scholarships.
The annual scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement, leadership and a strong commitment to advancing the fields of structural engineering, architecture and applied technologies.
The foundation has awarded four students—Nathan Cao (Stanford University), Cailey Hurst (University of Cincinnati), Sharon Sitt (The Cooper Union) and Kai Smith (Purdue University)—scholarships to pursue graduate studies in building engineering, design or technology. Hurst and Sitt received $10,000 each, while Cao and Smith were awarded $5,000 each.
The students were selected based on their academic achievements and demonstrated work ethic both in and out of the classroom. This year’s scholars distinguish themselves through their interdisciplinary curiosity, hands-on industry experience and dedication to shaping a more innovative, resilient and sustainable built environment.
They were chosen through a rigorous nomination and review process overseen by a jury comprising Thornton Tomasetti Senior Principal Liling Cao, Senior Principal and Florida Office Co-Director David Fusco, Principal Karen Grossett, Managing Principal and Forensics Practice Co-Leader Elisabeth Malsch, Principal Peter Quigley and President Wayne Stocks.
Nathan Cao
Cao is a graduate of Northeastern University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He served as president of Chi Epsilon and as captain of Northeastern’s Steel Bridge Team. Cao is interested in uniting structural engineering, architecture and emerging technologies. His work experience includes internships at L.A. Fuess Partners, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger and the New York State Department of Transportation, as well as founding an autonomous robotics venture focused on concrete condition assessment. Cao is pursuing a master’s degree in structural engineering, with interests in seismic resilience and the sustainable rehabilitation of existing structures. He hopes to practice as a licensed structural engineer on the West Coast.
Cailey Hurst
Hurst is an architectural engineering student in the Accelerated Engineering Degree (ACCEND) program at the University of Cincinnati, where she is completing both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees with a structural focus. She gained work experience through three co-op rotations with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, supporting forensic investigations, structural load testing, enclosure assessments and on-site evaluations. A licensed drone pilot, Hurst uses advanced tools, from aerial surveying to ground-penetrating radar, to support complex investigations, and her academic work emphasizes how CAD, BIM and analysis software enhance collaboration in the built environment. She plans to graduate in 2026 and work to advance technology-enabled solutions in building forensics.
Sharon Sitt
Sitt is pursuing a master’s degree at Cooper Union, with a focus on structural and geotechnical engineering, from which she also holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She is interested in combining engineering, architecture and technology in the design and preservation of the built environment. Sitt has interned with EDG Architecture and Engineering, where she worked on inspections and repair documentation for building enclosures and garages across New York City, and has experience in land development and zoning analysis. Sitt plans to become a licensed professional engineer specializing in structural restoration and adaptive reuse.
Kai Smith
Smith graduated from Oklahoma State University’s ABET-accredited architectural engineering program. He served as president of OSU’s Architectural Engineering Institute student chapter and was a teaching assistant for structural engineering courses. Smith held internships at Hart Gaugler + Associates, Kirkpatrick Forest Curtis, and most recently, with Thornton Tomasetti’s Kansas City office. His work included designing foundations, steel and masonry systems and moment frames, as well as modeling complex geometries and contributing to code-based computational tools. Smith is now pursuing master’s studies in civil engineering with a structural concentration at Purdue.
The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation congratulates these scholarship recipients and looks forward to their future contributions to advancing the built environment.
About The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation
The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation, a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization established in February 2008, is focused on funding fellowships, scholarships and internships for undergraduate students and those planning to pursue graduate studies in building engineering, design, or technology. It also provides financial support for individuals and organizations pursuing philanthropic activities related to building engineering, design, or technology. Key elements of the program are college scholarships, traveling internships and grants to and partnerships with nonprofit organizations.