Six Supply Chain and Logistics Technology students from the Industrial & Systems Engineering Department at the Cullen College of Engineering have received a combined $42,500 in scholarship funding from the Transportation Club of Houston, which is currently celebrating its centennial anniversary. This year’s awards to University of Houston students totaled more than double those received in 2024.
The six UH students, along with 11 more from eight other area colleges and universities, were recognized in a ceremony on August 5th, 2025.
Christina Leen, undergraduate, was awarded $10,000.
“This scholarship has a tremendous impact on my ability to afford tuition and continue pursuing my degree,” said Leen. “As a working adult, finding financial assistance can be challenging, so receiving this support means more than words can express. I am also deeply grateful for professors like Margaret Kidd who tirelessly share every scholarship, internship, and career opportunity with their students. Her dedication is rare and truly life changing. I encourage students to go after every opportunity with an open mind, because you never know which one will lead to something amazing.”
Elieser Castellanos, undergraduate junior, was awarded $10,000.
“Being a full-time student while working full-time and participating in extracurricular activities is definitely a challenge in terms of time management and effectiveness, but I’m satisfied that I’ve been able to maintain a high level of performance in all three,” said Castellanos. “I take these challenges as opportunities for growth, and I believe that they have allowed me to become a more complete individual. I would like to thank the Transportation Club of Houston for this award, and I hope I am able to continue to be involved with the club and connect with their members. I also want to give special thanks to my professor Margaret Kidd, who brought this opportunity to me.”
Caleb Bihogo, undergraduate senior, was awarded $7,500.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the scholarship from the Transportation Club of Houston,” said Bihogo. “As a first-generation student with my family living abroad, the journey to finance my education has been a difficult one. This scholarship is truly an answered prayer. It has given me a real chance to accelerate my degree by allowing me to take more credits next semester, a possibility I could not have afforded otherwise. This incredible opportunity has not only provided me with financial relief but also the mental peace to focus on my academic goals. I am so grateful to the Cullen College of Engineering and its dedicated professors for opening doors like this.”
Kevin Velazquez, undergraduate senior, was awarded $5,000.
“I think the biggest [scholarship] hurdle for many students is simply not applying, often because they doubt their chances of winning or believe the effort isn’t worthwhile,” said Velazquez. “Receiving this scholarship was incredibly meaningful. It not only covers my tuition but also serves as a reminder that hard work and dedicated research really do pay off.“
Will Day, undergraduate senior, was awarded $2,500.
“I’m incredibly grateful and honored to receive a Transportation Club of Houston scholarship award,” said Day. “This support will allow me to further explore how data and technology can transform transportation systems, and I’m excited to help shape the future of transportation infrastructure.”
A sixth undergraduate student was awarded $7,500.