We're proud to announce Portland State University's transportation scholarship recipients for the 2025/26 academic year! Scholarships are awarded by the Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at PSU, as well as by local transportation organizations. These awards reflect the excellence and impact of transportation students at PSU, whose work reaches beyond the classroom to impact the daily lives of real people in and around our region. Learn more about each scholarship winner below, and join us in congratulating these students on their outstanding accomplishments in transportation.
TREC Scholars
Each year, through our Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI) program, TREC offers a range of scholarships to assist students pursuing equitable, sustainable, and multimodal transportation. Four PSU students were awarded TREC scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year: Grace Alston, Jesus Mendoza, Elias Peters, and Gabriel Quiñones-Zambrana.
Grace Alston, Alta Planning + Design Scholarship
Grace is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) student and a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst for Trimble Maps. During the summer of 2025 she interned at the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) as an engineering trainee. Grace has a special interest in using GIS for transportation planning and transit oriented development, and served as an undergraduate research fellow in the geography department of Dartmouth College, where she received her bachelor's of arts in Anthropology.
Jesus Mendoza, Walter H. Kramer Fellowship
Jesus Mendoza is pursuing an Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) to enhance his ability to influence policy, implement effective strategies, and advocate for sustainable community solutions. He holds an associate degree from Columbia Gorge Community College and dual bachelor’s degrees in Human Resources Management and Management & Leadership from Portland State University. Jesus currently serves as the Transportation Operations Manager for The Link Public Transit, operated by the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD), where he oversees public transit services across Wasco County.
Elias Peters, IBPI Innovation in Active Transportation Scholarship
Elias Peters is pursuing dual master’s degrees in Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) and Master’s of Science in Civil Engineering. They earned their bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Western Washington University, and their research interests include the factors that shape people’s daily travel choices and how communities can design streets that foster safe, inclusive, and multimodal transportation for all users. Elias is currently serving as Leader of Communications and Administration for Students in Transportation Engineering and Planning (STEP), the PSU student chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). They also volunteer as a PBOT Transportation Ambassador, and helped collect data for over a dozen citywide bike count locations during the summer of 2025.
Gabriel Quiñones-Zambrana, IBPI Innovation in Active Transportation Scholarship
Gabriel is a Ph.D. student in urban studies at the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning. Before this he worked in the private sector as a Transit & Transportation Planner, and in the public sector as Director of a Planning Department in a municipality, for more than 8 years combined. Gabriel's research interests include transit planning with a particular interest in buses, equity in transit, land use planning, complete streets, and active modes of transportation. Gabriel is from Puerto Rico and would love to do research that improves quality of life for Puerto Ricans (and everyone) through transit.
More PSU Transportation Scholars
Local transportation organizations WTS and OR-ITE also award scholarships to college students studying transportation, and two PSU students, Zoe Beckley and Niklas Roethig, received those scholarships for this academic year.
Zoe Beckley, WTS Portland, Gail Achterman Scholarship
Zoe Beckley is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) student at Portland State University, whose research focuses on behavioral psychology, transportation accessibility, and land use. She is currently interning on Metro's Planning Department's Investment Areas team and also serving as the PSU Student Sustainability Center's Events and Engagement Coordinator, fostering cross-sector collaboration for a new community green space on campus.
Niklas Roethig, Oregon ITE, Bill Kloos Scholarship
Niklas Roethig is the most recent recipient of the OR-ITE Bill Kloos Scholarship. Initially, Niklas earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and legal studies from the University of Oregon. He decided to return to school and is completing a post-bacc in civil engineering at Portland State University. Niklas received the inspiration for the scholarship idea during his time at the Portland Bureau of Transportation as an intern working in the Signals and Street Lights division. He saw the collaborative and selfless nature of civil engineers, and realized he had found his fulfilling career. He will be graduating in December 2025. After that, he will be joining Kittelson and Associates as a Transportation Analyst.
Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us on social media