Paul DeBruyn Memorial Student Scholarship
Requests are considered all year
Through the Paul DeBruyn Memorial Student Scholarship Fund, the Trust provides undergraduate and graduate students studying in the fields of geotechnical and foundation engineering with complimentary attendance at DFI conferences and seminars, along with travel assistance.
Award
In 2025, twenty-one travel grants of $1,000 each are available to support students attending one of DFI’s upcoming conferences. These grants are to be used to cover lodging, meals, travel and other related expenses. Additionally, recipients will receive full conference registration at no cost.
The award is contingent upon the students’ attendance at the chosen conference, and reimbursement will be provided in the form of a check at the end of the event.
Eligibility & Requirements
All DFI Educational Trust Scholarship recipients in the past year are encouraged to apply for these grants to meet with DFI’s industry members at DFI’s Annual Conference.
Other students may also apply. The grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
R. Paul DeBruyn (1947-1997)
DeBruyn graduated from the University of Washington and served two years in the U.S. Army, including a 12-month tour of service in Vietnam.
In the last 14 years of his life Paul was president and general manager of Pacific American Commercial Company (PACO), Seattle, Washington; a company his family founded in 1955. He managed PACO’s worldwide operations, including sales and leasing of heavy contractors’ machinery and other construction equipment.
In addition to DFI, DeBruyn was active in Associated General Contractors, the Associated Equipment Distributors, ADSC, and other trade associations.
R. Paul DeBruyn, was a member of the DFI Board of Trustees and chair of the Organizing Committee for the 1998 DFI Annual Meeting. He died at the age of 50 in a tragic automobile accident on December 19, 1997 in Portland, Oregon.
