Michigan Engineers make tremendous achievements both in and out of the classroom throughout their academic careers. Each year, the College of Engineering celebrates the accomplishments of students who have demonstrated excellence in their academic work, leadership experiences, and in service to others.
These are the U-M Mechanical Engineering students whose achievements will be celebrated at the Leaders & Honors Awards Brunch 2023:
Siddhant Makkar – Charles F. Barth, Jr. Prize – Presented to an outstanding sophomore who has demonstrated academic excellence, leadership qualities, and outstanding contributions to the University and/or community.
“I am very grateful to have received the Charles F. Barth, Jr. Prize. There are so many amazing people and opportunities in the College of Engineering which have allowed me to develop as a person, and I hope to use my mechanical engineering education to positively impact the lives of people around the world.”
Victoria Dawidowicz – Cooley Writing Contest (Fiction)
“I am honored to have won the Cooley Writing Contest in Fiction. I am grateful that this contest through the College of Engineering has given me an opportunity to explore my interests that are outside of the normal engineering curriculum.“
Christopher VanDieren – Distinguished Academic Achievement – Presented to an outstanding undergraduate in each degree program.
“I am honored to have received the Distinguished Academic Achievement Award as an undergraduate in the Mechanical Engineering department. Even more rewarding has been the opportunity to learn from such talented professors and peers. I likewise owe many thanks to my parents for instilling in me a disciplined work ethic and love of learning.”
Minjeong Kim – Distinguished Leadership Award – Presented to undergraduate and graduate students of the College of Engineering who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to the College, University, and community.
“I’m stunned and honored to receive the Distinguished Leadership Award. This recognition not only reflects my accomplishments but also highlights the key role of leadership in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering. I hope this award serves as a reminder that each one of us has the power to bring positive change in our communities, and I hope it empowers other women to pursue leadership roles in engineering.”
Anika Satish – Distinguished Leadership Award – Presented to undergraduate and graduate students of the College of Engineering who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to the College, University, and community.
“I am honored to receive the Distinguished Leadership Award. I take pride in being part of a community of the brightest mentors & leaders in Engineering who have inspired me to become a leader in the community myself. I hope my leadership in and out of the classroom is leaving a positive impact on my peers!”
Emma Nottingham – Henry Ford II Prize – Presented to an outstanding junior who has demonstrated academic excellence.
“I am honored and excited to have received the Henry Ford II Prize! I have grown and developed immensely as an engineer thanks to my professors, coursework, and extracurricular involvements at the University of Michigan. I hope to take all of these experiences and continue to strive for excellence to improve the world around me.”
Sophia Newton – Roger M. Jones Fellowship – This annual Fellowship abroad provides a graduating UM engineering student the opportunity to study the humanities at a European university to broaden and deepen his or her previous education in the College of Engineering.
“I am thrilled to be the 2023 Roger M. Jones Fellow! These four years I’ve had at UMich have been the perfect time to develop my love for storytelling. Here, I have found so much inspiration: from my brilliant classmates, to spring break backpacking adventures, fascinating classes, and a community of people with an incredible variety of talents. Thank you to everyone who has supported, encouraged, and inspired me during my time here.”
Alexander Rees – Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize For Outstanding GSIs – This award honors engineering GSIs who have demonstrated innovation and excellence in teaching.
“I’m honored to be a recipient of the Richard and Eleanor Towner Prize for Outstanding GSIs. I’m very glad that my students found value in my teaching, and I hope I was able to make a positive impact (small or large) in each of their lives. Thanks to everyone else on the ME395 teaching staff, of course – I was simply one part of an incredible crew.”
Patrick Dorin – Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize For Outstanding GSIs – This award honors engineering GSIs who have demonstrated innovation and excellence in teaching.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize For Outstanding GSIs. I am very grateful to all of those who I have learned the art of teaching from and the ME360 students who made the experience so enjoyable.”
Changyu Deng – Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize For Distinguished Academic Achievement – Presented to an outstanding graduate student in each degree program.
“I am really excited to receive the Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize For Distinguished Academic Achievement. I am grateful for the recognition of what I achieved in the past. I believe this prize will always inspire me to move forward in the future.”
Mechanical Engineering Graduate Council – Elaine Harden Award – Presented to the Engineering student organization that best exemplifies dedicated leadership and service to the community.
“I’m thrilled that the College of Engineering has recognized my team for their hard work building and strengthening our graduate student community. This year we’ve strongly focused on organizing more in-person social and mentoring events, expanding our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and cultivating relationships with other grad student organizations around campus. This month we are even opening a new grad student lounge to support our community. The Elaine Harden Award has only motivated us to keep growing our efforts over the coming years.” said Omar Ahmed, MEGC President.