ORLANDO, Fla. – Frandley Cear grew up in Port-de-Paix, Haiti, where catastrophic earthquakes and infrastructure failures inspired his passion for civil engineering. The University of Central Florida (UCF) civil engineering major lived in the northwest region of Haiti during the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in 2010.
“I witnessed the devastating effects of poor construction and inadequate drainage systems in Haiti,” he said.
A senior at UCF, Cear has been named a recipient of DRMP’s Wayne D. Chalifoux Scholarship. The endowed scholarship, coordinated with UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, honors former DRMP President Wayne Chalifoux’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of civil engineers.
Cear recently met with members of DRMP’s leadership team at the firm’s Orlando headquarters, including President Glenn Lusink, PSM; Chief Operating Officer Mike Albano, PE; and Senior Vice President Amanda Woods, PE.
“You picked a good career,” Lusink told Cear. “Civil engineering has many disciplines, so there are a lot of opportunities for professional growth and a long career. And we need more engineers.”
Cear responded: “You’ve done a lot of work to lay the foundation for (the next generation of engineers) to make the jump easier for us.”
Cear moved from Haiti to Vero Beach, Fla., in 2018 to pursue better educational opportunities. After graduating from Vero Beach High School, he began his college career at Indian River State College before transferring to UCF in 2023. He is concentrating on geotechnical and structural engineering and works part time as a geotechnical intern at Tierra, Inc.
“We’re glad and proud to support UCF,” Lusink said. “We have a lot of UCF alums here. Back in the day, we had a lot of Gators, but the Knights have taken over.”
Cear hopes to use his engineering education to help improve communities and, if given the opportunity, contribute to enhancing design standards in Haiti. After graduation, he plans to remain in Orlando due to the region’s strong professional opportunities.
During their conversation, Lusink asked Cear about recovery efforts in Haiti. Woods, noting Cear’s interest in structural engineering, discussed how seismic design practices vary across regions and explained that parts of South Carolina lie in a seismic zone capable of producing earthquakes.
“It’s something most people don’t typically consider,” Woods said.
She also highlighted DRMP’s long-standing partnership with Tierra, Inc. – where Cear works – and the many successful projects the two firms have completed together.
The scholarship has allowed Cear to reduce his work hours and dedicate more time to studying, he said. It also helped cover books and school supplies.
“It represents opportunity, access, and support in balancing school and work commitments,” he said. “I feel grateful for the opportunity and the support provided by the scholarship program.”
Cear describes himself as naturally curious and analytical. As a child, he frequently took apart his toys to understand how they worked, an early indicator of his engineering mindset.
“I don’t know how many toys I destroyed,” he said with a laugh.
Cear’s family remains an important source of motivation, including his older brother, who currently serves in the U.S. Army and was recently stationed in Europe before relocating to Tennessee.
About DRMP
DRMP is a multi-discipline firm serving clients in the public, private and industrial sectors in the development of infrastructure and has been in business since 1977. DRMP currently employs 700 professionals in 23 office locations spread strategically across our service area. Today, DRMP is ranked among Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” in the United States. For more information, please visit www.drmp.com.
