University of South Alabama junior Racheal Cooley, a civil engineering major, has been recognized by the Alabama section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as Student Civil Engineer of the Year.   

Cooley was selected from a list of nominees representing the civil engineering departments from universities across Alabama.  She will receive a $4,500 scholarship and be recognized at the organization’s annual meeting to be held in Orange Beach this summer on Aug. 1- 2.

Cooley also placed third in ASCE’s national Daniel W. Mead student paper competition with her composition, “Ethical Considerations Concerning ASCE Policy Statement 465.”  She received a $600 cash prize and the opportunity to present her paper at the August meeting.      

A native of Waynesboro, Miss., Cooley is the president of the USA student chapter of ASCE.  She will graduate in May 2014. 

The Alabama section of ASCE was started in 1956, and now has over 500 members statewide. Nationally, ASCE recently celebrated its 150th anniversary, and is America's oldest engineering society.