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April Bryan |
The MLK Spirit Awards are presented annually to North Campus students whose leadership and service has exemplified the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Again this year, three ME students received this prestigious honor in April 2005 at a ceremony in Pierpont Commons.
Following her graduation December 1999 from Tuskegee University with a BS in Aerospace Science Engineering, April Bryan began studying for her master’s degree in ME at the University of Michigan. She is now a doctoral candidate, having completed her master’s work in 2004.
The Trinidad-native was nominated by ME Associate Research Scientist Zbigniew Pasek of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Reconfigurable Manufacturing. She hadn’t expected to be nominated, and to be named a recipient was certainly more than she anticipated.
“I was quite surprised that I was nominated,” she said, “and even more surprised that I won the award.”
Bryan was one of the MLK Award recipients because of her active involvement in the Mechanical Engineering’s section of the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP). The program, “Making of the Automobile,” is aimed at getting 7th and 8th grade minority students from the Detroit area interested in pursuing careers in mechanical engineering. The students are brought to the University of Michigan's campus for five consecutive Saturdays during the Winter semester.
Her other activities include a position as the treasurer of Grad-SWE (the Society of Women Engineers - Graduate Component) and membership in the Movement of Under-represented Sisters in Engineering and Science (Muses). She is also an active member of the Society of Minority Engineers & Scientists - Graduate Students Component (SMES-G).
Bryan recognizes the importance of the award, while recognizing that many others could and should be recognized.
“I believe that there are other students performing a great deal of service in their communities,” she said. “For example, while I was co-coordinator of the DAPCEP Program this year, Ross Morrow was the other coordinator. He also worked tirelessly for the program and deserves recognition.
“It is a great honor for me to have been selected for this award. Martin Luther King Jr. was selfless and single-minded in his commitment to improving the status of minorities in this country. Therefore, while it is always nice to win awards, I believe that it is the spirit of MLK, more than the award that it is important. Even though the status of minorities has advanced to some degree, there is still so much that needs to be done. Therefore, when the opportunity presents itself, I always try to assist whenever I can. I was glad I had the opportunity to assist with the DAPCEP program, and I am grateful for the award.”
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Vernon Newhouse |
Vernon Newhouse, who also received the GEM Award in 2005 earned his master’s degree in 2005. He previously had received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.
The native of Mount Morris, Michigan, was nominated by Derrick Scott, Program Director of the Minority Engineering Program Office in recognition of Newhouse’s contributions to the Unified Minority Mechanical Engineers organization, for which he served as president.
“I was very humbled by the recognition from the College of Engineering,” said Newhouse. Still, he sees the work, not the reward, as the reason to persevere in his community activities. “I haven't made contributions to the College of Engineering community so that I would gain recognition. Therefore, receiving this award hasn’t changed the way that I participate in the community. It just meant that the school has made it a priority to recognize people who have contributed to the community.”
Undergraduate student Lander Coronado-Garcia was also recognized with a 2005 MLK Spirit Award. At deadline time, he could not be reached for an interview.