Annual recognition of student excellence

4/25/2018 Debra Levey Larson

Written by Debra Levey Larson

The Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois recognized undergraduate and graduate students this spring with awards for scholastic achievement and other contributions.

Undergraduate student departmental awards are the following:

Justin Song, right, with Assistant Professor Kai James (not pictured, co-recipient Jonathan Zur)
Justin Song, right, with Assistant Professor Kai James (not pictured, co-recipient Jonathan Zur)
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Scholastic Achievement Award, awarded to the seniors graduating with the highest GPA—Justin M. Song of Wheeling, Illinois (Spring 2018); and Jonathan Zur of Encino California (Fall 2017)

Dale Margerum Memorial Award, presented to the undergraduate who exemplifies outstanding leadership qualities by participation in departmental extracurricular activities—Kevin J. Burns of Downers Grove, Illinois.

Kevin Burns, left, with Assistant Professor Phillip Ansell
Kevin Burns, left, with Assistant Professor Phillip Ansell
Jo Ann Haynes Platt & Daniel Wall Platt Memorial Award, given to a sophomore, junior or senior female undergraduate James Scholar and/or Chancellor’s Scholar studying AE—Ashley M. Stahulak of Wheaton, Illinois.

H. Everett Sutter Passion for Flying Scholarship, presented to a junior-level Aerospace Engineering student who exhibits a passion for flying—Lisa Rosov of Long Grove, Illinois

 

Ashley Stahulak with Research Professor Brian Woodard
Ashley Stahulak with Research Professor Brian Woodard
H.S. Stillwell Memorial Scholarship, presented in memory of Professor H.S. Stillwell, founder and head of the Dept. of Aerospace Engineering from its inception in 1944 until his death in 1976. The scholarship is presented to an undergraduate student in recognition of scholastic achievement and extracurricular activities—Courtney M. Leverenz of Oak Lawn, Illinois

H.S. Stillwell Problem Solving Scholarship was established by a generous alumnus as a tribute to H.S. Stillwell and the role he played as a mentor to students. It is given to a junior-level or first-semester senior majoring student majoring in aerospace engineering who exhibits exemplary problem-solving skills—Connor J. Latham of Lakemoor, Illinois

Lisa Rosov, left) with Coordinator of Undergradaute Program Laura Gerhold
Lisa Rosov, left) with Coordinator of Undergradaute Program Laura Gerhold
Robert W. McCloy Memorial Award, presented in memory of Prof. R.W. McCloy, who served on the faculty from 1945 to 1977, and was the first faculty member hired in the new Department of Aeronautical Engineering. He was known for his research and teaching in propulsion and for his pioneering work in jet propulsion. The award is presented to a junior or first-semester senior student in recognition of outstanding academic performance—Noel C. Brindise of Deer Park, Illinois and to Elena D. Kamis of Orchard Park, New York

Michael W. Miller Aerospace Engineering Innovation Award, established to promote entrepreneurial ideas in the area of Aerospace innovation—Maxwell A. Feinberg of Deerfield, Illinois

Roger A. Strehlow Memorial Award, presented to an undergraduate student in recognition of outstanding academic performance—Sara Legg Dopico of Naperville, Illinois

Aerospace engineering undergraduate students were also recognized for awards they received from other organizations.

  • Courtney Leverenz, right, with Assistant Professor Grace Gao
    Courtney Leverenz, right, with Assistant Professor Grace Gao
    Anne Elizabeth Suratt Memorial Scholarship
    —Ashley M. Stahulak of Wheaton, Illinois
  • C.S. Larson Transfer Student Award—Marie M. Beasley of Nokomis, Illinois
    Connor Latham, right, with Bliss Professor and Department Head Philippe Geubelle
    Connor Latham, right, with Bliss Professor and Department Head Philippe Geubelle
  • Gene Turner Award—Paul A. DeTrempe of Menlo Park, California
  • Illinois Engineering Achievement Scholarship—Cassandra K. Dickey of Yale, Illinois
  • Illinois Engineering Premier Scholarship—Ashley M. Stahulak of Wheaton, Illinois
  • Illini Tower Women in Engineering Housing Scholarship—Lydia G. Kurtz of Morris, Illinois
  • John and Dorothy Durkins Women in Engineering Scholarship—Violet A .Kamber of Elgin, Illinois
  • Kay Simmons-Kappes Outstanding Student Contribution Scholarship—Edgar E. Garcia of Sycamore, Illinois
  • Kirkwood Scholarship—Cassandra K. Dickey of Yale, Illinois
  • Noel Brindise with Associate Professor Daniel Bodoony
    Noel Brindise with Associate Professor Daniel Bodoony
    Lisle Abbott Rose Award
    —Paul A. DeTrempe of Menlo Park, California
  • Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program—Sara Legg Dopico of Naperville, Illinois
  • President’s Award Program Honors Scholarship—Ashley M. Stahulak of Wheaton, Illinois
  • Richard R. Sladek Scholarship—Saym A. Imtiaz of Champaign, Illinois
  • Schlader Memorial Scholarship in Engineering—Paul A. DeTrempe of Menlo Park, California
  • Sen-Hwa Foundation Scholarship—Saym A. Imtiaz of Champaign, Illinois
  • Elena Kamis with Associate Professor Daniel Bodony
    Elena Kamis with Associate Professor Daniel Bodony
    Aerospace Engineering Academic Scholarship
    :
  • Nathan P. Griffin of Lockport, Illinois
  • Rachel M. Hays of Garden Ridge, Texas
  • Lydia G. Kurtz of Morris, Illinois
  • Oscar Ortiz of Chicago, Illinois
  • Emily A. Tokarski of Barrington, Illinois
  • Emily J. Williams of Plainfield, Illinois
  • Aerospace Engineering Boeing Scholarship:
  • Maxwelll Feinberg, right, with Associate Professor Timothy Bretl
    Maxwelll Feinberg, right, with Associate Professor Timothy Bretl
    Alex M. Garcia of Frankfort, Illinois
  • Avery K. Moore of Clinton, Illinois
  • Natalie C. Pfister of Rolling Meadows, Illinois
  • Aerospace Engineering Visionary Scholarship—Hannah N. Nalewajk of Round Lake, Illinois

 

 

Graduate student departmental awards included the following:

Robyn Macdonald with Assistant Professor Marco Panesi
Robyn Macdonald with Assistant Professor Marco Panesi
Faculty Outstanding Graduate Student Award, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the department’s teaching and/or research missions—Robyn L. Macdonald of Chicago, Illinois

AE Alumni Advisory Board Fellowship, presented annually to a graduate student in recognition of outstanding research, academic performance, and research accomplishments—Amal Sahai of Delhi, India

Kenneth Lee Herrick Memorial Award, given to an AE graduate student based on outstanding academic and research performance in the AE department—Dimitrios Antartis of Athens, Greece; and Haoran Wang of Wendeng, Shandong Province, China

The Preston A. Henne Aerodynamics Fellowship, established to fund a graduate student in the area of aerodynamics—Aaron T. Perry of Omaha, Nebraska

Amal  Sahai, left, with Assistant Professor Marco Panesi
Amal Sahai, left, with Assistant Professor Marco Panesi

 

Other Aerospace engineering graduate student awards were also recognized, including:

  • Stillwell Fellowship—Armando R. Collazo Garcia, Christopher R. Colletti, Felipe R. Figueroa, Alexander W. Jessee, Ashwin V. Kanhere, Nil A. Parikh, Jeffrey N. Perez, Nicklaus O. Richardson, Tiago M. Silva, Nate Skolnik, Jason E. Turner, Daniel C. Twiss, Raeann M. VanSickle, and Ankhil Marayikkottu Vijayan.
  • CSC Fellowship—Rambod Mojgani
  • Fulbright Fellowship—Arman Tekinalp
  • Haoran Wang, right, with Assistant Professor Huck Beng Chew (not pictured, co-recipient Dimitrios Antartis)
    Haoran Wang, right, with Assistant Professor Huck Beng Chew (not pictured, co-recipient Dimitrios Antartis)
    U of I Graduate College Fellowship
    —Nicklaus O. Richardson
  • ISGC Fellowship–Polette J. Centellas and Tiago M. Silva
  • Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship—Mihir J. Patel
  • Mavis Scholarship—Vegnesh Jayaraman
  • Sloan Research Fellowship—Tiago M. Silva
  • Yee Memorial Fellowship—Troy Z. Kang
Aaron Perry, left, with Assistant Professor Phillip Ansell
Aaron Perry, left, with Assistant Professor Phillip Ansell

 


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This story was published April 25, 2018.