Besal Fund Awards $115,000 in Scholarships for the 2025-2026 Academic Year
The Robert J. Besal Memorial Education Fund (Besal Fund), a trust established to provide a continuing scholarship program for the advancement of education in illuminating engineering disciplines, is proud to announce the recipients of its scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year. This year, the Besal Fund has awarded 15 scholarships, totaling $115,000, to students from participating schools. These scholarships are a testament to the Besal Fund’s ongoing commitment to advancing education in illuminating engineering disciplines.
This year’s recipients include 12 undergraduate scholarships and three graduate scholarships, awarded to students at the following universities: University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Colorado State University, Boulder, Penn State University, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Established in 1983 as a nonprofit trust, The Besal Fund aspires to encourage talented and committed students to pursue a career in the lighting industry and illuminating engineering fields. It has awarded over $1.6 million in scholarships to students from accredited schools throughout the United States.
Among the 2025-2026 graduate scholarship recipients is Antonio Garza, a master’s student at the University of Colorado majoring in Architectural Engineering with a focus on lighting. Garza, who will graduate in May 2026, shared how the scholarship has impacted his educational journey.
“This program has deepened my understanding of lighting both technically and creatively,” said Garza. “As I enter my second and final year, I look forward to continuing to learn from inspiring faculty and peers before returning to the professional world equipped with new skills and perspectives. The Besal Fund scholarship has helped make it possible.”
Garza is drawn to the lighting industry for its unique blend of technical precision and creative design – two essential elements in shaping meaningful and functional spaces. Through his studies at the University of Colorado, he has deepened his understanding of lighting’s capabilities and the broad range of opportunities the field presents. He is particularly passionate about bringing high-quality lighting into everyday environments, where it can enhance not only visibility but also safety, comfort, and overall well-being. His interests lie especially in roadway, agricultural, and sports lighting – areas where thoughtful, efficient solutions have the potential to create a wide-reaching and positive impact.
“Other students should not hesitate to take advantage of this opportunity,” continued Garza. “I looked for scholarship options before my first master’s year and did not find many that lived up to the Besal Fund. Even just the process of working on the scholarship application itself was very rewarding for me, because it gave me the chance to reflect on everything I have learned in my studies and career journey so far.”
The Besal Fund is made possible through the generous contributions from Acuity Brands Lighting, its sales representatives, and employees. The fund was created to honor the legacy of the late Robert J. Besal, who served as Vice President for Lithonia Lighting, a brand within the Acuity Brands Lighting portfolio. Robert J. Besal was a visionary leader in the lighting industry, and the fund aims to continue his mission of fostering educational excellence in illuminating engineering. The scholarships are self-administered and issued directly by the Besal Fund, ensuring that the funds are allocated to deserving students dedicated to advancing the industry.
For more information, visit The Besal Fund online.
