William Brookshire Scholarship Honors Students Balancing Work, School

William A. Brookshire only visited the LSU Student Union once when he was enrolled as a graduate student. He’s quick to explain that trip was only made because “Hatcher Hall was closed, and I couldn’t get coffee.”

Brookshire, the co-founder and chairman of the board of S & B Engineers and Constructors, was all work and little play when he was in school. Now, he’s giving back to the students who share his values.

More than 70 students in the College of Engineering were honored with the William Brookshire Scholarship in Engineering this academic year, and on Wednesday night, they had the chance to meet and dine with the man who has helped fund their education. The scholarship, which has been in place since 2010, is given to full-time undergraduate students who have a combined work and course work schedule of more than 30 hours per week.

“My focus is on the kids that are working their way through school,” Brookshire said, reflecting on his own undergraduate and graduate experience balancing work and school. “I want to help the kids who are trying to help themselves.”

Brookshire began his undergraduate studies at a junior college before transferring to the University of Houston. His father had enough war bonds to pay for one semester, he said, but after that, he was tasked with funding his own education. To makes ends meet, he held a variety of jobs, working as a lab technician, an electrician and the like, and he took classes at night.

He graduated from the University of Houston in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He then enrolled in graduate school at LSU, where he earned his master’s in science in 1959 and his Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 1961.

After six years working as a process engineering supervisor for Exxon Corporation in Houston, he invested $10,000—his life savings of $7,000 and an additional $3,000 he borrowed—and created S & B Engineers and Constructors with business partner James Slaughter, Sr. That small company of two employees has since grown to include more than 7,500 employees globally.

“Dr. Brookshire worked hard, and he knows what that can mean for you if you do the same,” Richard Koubek, dean of the College of Engineering, told the students at the ceremony. “Look at what he’s accomplished. It’s remarkable to me. When I first met him, I deeply respected him, and now I have to say that I deeply admire him.”

Brandon Travis, mechanical engineering senior and scholarship recipient, also expressed his gratitude. He was one of two students who made a presentation at the ceremony.

“As a student, husband, father and member of society who holds a full-time course schedule and works up to 40 hours a week, I find each day holds new experiences and challenges,” Travis said, detailing his rural upbringing and financial hardships. “Dr. Brookshire, words cannot express how grateful I am that you provide this scholarship to engineering students … Your selfless sponsorship of our education, which grants us the opportunity to passionately continue in our career development, is now a special part of each of our stories.”

The following are the 2014-15 recipients of the William Brookshire Scholarship in Engineering:

Laura Iverson, Civil Engineering
Tricia “Rose” Oubre, Environmental Engineering
Brandon Ankeny, Mechanical Engineering
Gabrielle Brewer, Biological Engineering
Timothy Patterson, Civil Engineering
Dan Robert, Computer Science
Brendan Copley, Civil Engineering
Yaser Suleiman, Petroleum Engineering
Isaac Rodriguez, Computer Science
Thaddaeus Manuel, Petroleum Engineering
Jade Bates, Chemical Engineering
Jake Gibson, Petroleum Engineering
Victoria Sample, Civil Engineering
David Yarbro, Construction Management
Adedeji Ademosu, Petroleum Engineering
Andrew Baldwin, Construction Management
Khai Muse, Petroleum Engineering
Charles “Chaz” Arceneaux, Mechanical Engineering
Hunter Crossett, Computer Science
Jazmine Staten, Computer Science
Ali Al Isawi, Petroleum Engineering
Brian McIlwain, Computer Science
Kenton Killen, Mechanical Engineering
Brandon Travis, Mechanical Engineering
Dylan Bernard, Chemical Engineering
Norman Zerkus, Biological Engineering
Morgan Comeaux, Mechanical Engineering
Ryan Davis, Computer Science
Mollie Smoak, Biological Engineering
Xinghao Wang, Computer Science
John Grove, Mechanical Engineering
Elijah Holland, Mechanical Engineering
Justin Alexander, Industrial Engineering
Breanna Lee, Chemical Engineering
Spencer Eslocker, Computer Science
Matthew Benoit, Electrical Engineering
Rashidat Balogun, Petroleum Engineering
James Gegenheimer, Mechanical Engineering
Justin Kilpatrick, Computer Science
Kevin Brown, Environmental Engineering
Mollie Campbell, Environmental Engineering
Jaron Thurnau, Mechanical Engineering
Kurtis Johnson, Mechanical Engineering
Alicia Fortier, Civil Engineering
Dustin Haffner, Environmental Engineering
Brendan Costner, Electrical Engineering
Evan Preslar, Computer Science
Jason Jaume, Petroleum Engineering
Marlou de Guzman, Electrical Engineering
Taylor Robinson, Mechanical Engineering
Andrew Hartzog, Electrical Engineering
Sarah Ellis, Mechanical Engineering
Sherrard Davidson, Petroleum Engineering
Mark Frederick, Petroleum Engineering
Travis Favors, Computer Science
Azeen Lewis, Petroleum Engineering
Michael Walker, Mechanical Engineering
Chaning Simmons, Chemical Engineering
Trenaty Cooper, Petroleum Engineering
Jaden Gillspie, Civil Engineering
Kaity Addison, Biological Engineering
Kaitlin Arceneaux, Environmental Engineering
Eugene Stewart, Electrical Engineering
Katherine Smith, Construction Management
Phillip Reed, Electrical Engineering
Nathan Black, Petroleum Engineering
Kristen Galloway, Biological Engineering
Sung Jung, Electrical Engineering
Madison Longwell, Biological Engineering
Kylan Race, Computer Science
Eric Sheu, Construction Management

In addition, William Barrett Ainsworth was awarded the William A. Brookshire Graduate Assistantship in Chemical Engineering, as of January 1.

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