The Michigan State University Board of Trustees recognized the high scholastic averages for a record-breaking number of 206 graduating students this semester. Thirty-four of them are Spartan Engineers.
A record number of Spartan Engineers graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA this spring.
Each semester, students graduating with a 4.0 GPA are presented with the Board of Trustees' Award for their academic excellence. Additionally, each awardee was acknowledged during their individual commencement ceremonies in May and will receive $1,000 from the university in recognition of their accomplishment.
MSU Board of Trustees Chair Rema Vassar, Ph.D., recognized the students at the board’s April meeting.
“It is an honor to present these students with an award that embodies the culmination of all the hard work and dedication they have demonstrated,” Vassar said. “We are proud of them, and optimistic they will continue as lifelong learners who make a difference in their communities.”
Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D., also recognized the excellence of the awardees.
“These awards are an embodiment of our students’ resilience and continuous commitment to their education during their years at MSU,” said Woodruff. “I am confident their continued excellence will permeate every aspect of their future, and I look forward to the impact they will have in Michigan and in the world.”
College of Engineering students receiving the award are:
- Hemkesh Agrawal: Computer Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Agrawal is from Delhi, India, and attended Ramjas School.
- Alec J. Bensman: Computer Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Bensman is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended Walnut Hills High School.
- Thomas F. Burgess III: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Burgess is from Honor, Michigan, and attended Lake Orion High School
- Ian R. Byram: Computer Science, College of Engineering. Byram is from Grand Blanc, Michigan, and attended Grand Blanc Community School.
- Alexis Y. Chuong: Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Chuong is from Livonia, Michigan, and attended Winston Churchill High School.
- Ryan J. Danaj: Biosystems Engineering, College of Engineering. Danaj is from Washington, Michigan, and attended Romeo High School.
- Adam C. Dec: Computational Data Science, College of Engineering. Dec is from Holt, Michigan, and attended Lansing Catholic High School.
- Joseph C. Dec: Civil Engineering, College of Engineering. Dec is from Holt, Michigan, and attended Lansing Catholic High School.
- Brendan R. Doane: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Doane is from Jackson, Michigan, and attended Lumen Christi High School.
- Jon P. Droste: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Droste is from Dewitt, Michigan, and attended Dewitt High School.
- Kiet V. Duong: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Duong is from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and attended Vietnam National University High School for the Gifted.
- Caroline G. Gormely: Computer Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Gormely is from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and attended Grosse Pointe South High School.
- Thaddaeus A. Greiner: Computer Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Greiner is from Plymouth, Michigan, and attended Plymouth High School.
- Sohan Gupta: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Gupta is from Richmond, Kentucky, and attended the Delhi Public School Ruby Park Kolkata.
- Jackson A. Haugen: Computer Science, College of Engineering; Mathematics, College of Natural Science; and a member of the Honors College. Haugen is from Boyne Falls, Michigan, and attended Petoskey High School.
- Justin P. Henkelman: Computer Science, College of Engineering. Henkelman is from Hudsonville, Michigan, and attended Hudsonville High School.
- Aaron C. Jonckheere: Computer Engineering, College of Engineering. Jonckheere is from Caledonia, Michigan, and attended West Michigan Aviation Academy.
- Adam Kasumovic: Computer Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Kasumovic is from Chesterfield, Michigan, and attended L’Anse Creuse High School North.
- Anurag Kompalli: Computer Science, College of Engineering. Kompalli is from Northville, Michigan, and attended Northville High School.
Riley Lawson participated in the Strength Augmenting Robotic Exoskeleton’s (STARX) Collegiate contest in May. He will begin a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at MIT this fall.
- Riley E. Lawson: Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering; Mathematics, Advanced, College of Natural Science; and a member of the Honors College. Lawson is from East Lansing, Michigan, and attended Francis Howell North High School.
- Ashley L. Maloney: Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Maloney is from Corona del Mar, California, and attended Corona del Mar High School.
- Katherine N. Mann: Biosystems Engineering, College of Engineering. Mann is from Allen Park, Michigan, and attended Allen Park High School.
- Minh Q. Nguyen: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering. Nguyen is from Westland, Michigan, and attended Adlai E. Stevenson High School.
- Jason B. Nitkiewicz: Computational Data Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Nitkiewicz is from Novi, Michigan, and attended Northville High School.
- Harriet W. Pimental: Computational Data Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Pimental is from Powell, Wyoming, and attended Powell High School.
- Tanawan Premsri: Computer Science, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Premsri is from East Lansing, Michigan, and attended Rayongwittayakom School.
- Olivia M. Reyes: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering. Reyes is from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and attended The American School in London.
- Jacob S. Rutkowski: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and a member of the Honors College. Rutkowski is from Normal, Illinois, and attended Normal Community West High School.
- Justin T. Scott: Applied Engineering Sciences, College of Engineering. Scott is from Walled Lake, Michigan, and attended Walled Lake Central High School.
- Tytus L. Sewell: Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering. Sewell is from East Lansing, Michigan, and attended Berkley High School.
- Michael P. Strong: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering. Strong is from Jackson, Michigan, and attended Jackson High School.
- Caleb A. Wagaman: Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering. Wagaman is from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and attended Forest Hills Eastern High School.
- Katherine A. White: Computer Science, College of Engineering. White is from Midland, Michigan, and attended Herbert Henry Dow High School.
- Hanwen Zuo: Computer Science, College of Engineering. Zuo is from Okemos, Michigan, and attended Okemos High School.