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Scholarship Honors a Man Dedicated to Civil Engineering and Cullen College
By
Laurie Fickman
Charles Beyer (middle) with wife, Nancy, and Joseph Tedesco (left), Dean of the Cullen College
Charles Beyer (middle) with wife, Nancy, and Joseph Tedesco (left), Dean of the Cullen College

When proud UH Cullen College alumnus Charles Beyer passed away in May, his family shared one of Beyer’s favorite mottos, which they said he imparted to anyone who met him: "The world is run by those who show up."

When it came to the UH Cullen College of Engineering, Beyer did much more than show up. Named one of the University of Houston's Distinguished Engineering Alumni in 2001, Beyer’s name has been distinguished again – now with an endowed scholarship. The Charles A. Beyer Houston Contractors Association Civil Engineering Endowed Scholarship was established in honor of Beyer and his many contributions to the Cullen College thanks to the generous donations from the Houston Contractors Association as well as Beyer's family, friends and colleagues.

“We have received significant support from friends and family of Charles which has allowed us the ability to create a permanent endowed scholarship in his name,” said UH Chief Development Officer Russell Dunlavy. “This is a true testament to his character and the number of family and friends that he meant so much to. Future engineering students who earn this scholarship will carry with them the legacy that Charles created and I hope they go out in the world and make an impact as big as Charles did.”

The income distributed annually from the endowment will be used to provide scholarships in the Cullen College of Engineering to eligible juniors or seniors pursuing degrees in civil engineering.

About Mr. Beyer
A native Houstonian and proud Cougar, Beyer received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Houston in 1972 and 1977, respectively. In 1983 he launched Beyer Construction, a leader in the Houston area for commercial concrete, street and road paving.

No matter his successes, Beyer always stayed close to the Cullen College, participating in the Engineering Golf Tournament each year and serving as a member of the UH Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Board as well as the UH Engineering Leadership Board.

In an effort to bring together alumni and friends of the Cullen College’s civil and environmental engineering department, Beyer founded the annual Civil Engineering Alumni Luncheon in 2002. Since then, the event has raised thousands of dollars for scholarships for civil and environmental engineering students at UH.

About the Houston Contractors Association
The Houston Contractors Association, formed in 1956, has grown into one of the leading organizations representing civil constructions companies in the Houston area. HCA has over 400 members that perform over $2 billion worth of work and services annually and form the backbone of the civil construction industry in the region.

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