Norfolk Southern’s Thoroughbred Scholars program, which provides scholarships to more than 100 children of employees annually, has named Abigail Lafon as this year’s distinguished Science, Technology, Engineerings, or Mathematics (STEM) Scholar.

Abigail, of Blacksburg, Virginia, plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Abigail’s father, Aaron Lafon, is a Machinist at Norfolk Southern's Shaffer's Crossing Locomotive Shop in Roanoke and has been with the company for over 30 years.

Abigail’s interest in mechanical engineering was sparked by her involvement in her high school robotics team, where she competed in the FIRST Robotics Competition, an international robotics event for high school students. Passionate about building things from a young age, Abigail dreams of working for NASA, combining her love of space and engineering. She chose the University of Colorado Boulder for its highly regarded engineering programs, and this scholarship will help with the cost of out-of-state tuition.

Since its inception in 2022, the Thoroughbred Scholars Program has awarded more than $1.4 million in scholarships to team members' children. The program annually provides 100 scholarships for up to $10,000 over four years, with three additional scholarships for distinguished students, who receive up to $40,000 over four years.

For more information about Norfolk Southern’s Thoroughbred Scholars Program and this year’s recipients, click here.