Julio César Méndez Engineering Scholars

While some may shy away from working with the elderly or the mentally disabled, Geneva College sophomore Chemical Engineering major Katherine Deitrick embraced this opportunity with open arms last summer. She worked at McGuire Memorial in their employment option center where serving adults with both physical and mental disabilities to build life skills. Katherine is no stranger to the types of disabilities that she came across. “My brother, Mark, is a client at Memorial. When he was born he contracted the meningitis virus in the hospital where my mom had him. The doctors said he wouldn’t live past the age of 5 but he is 27 now.” Katherine’s servant leadership helps her realize that everyone is a contributing factor to the work that God has set out for us, no matter what kind of setbacks, whether emotional or physical, might come in the way. She applies this principle to her servant leadership role in her college’s competitive tennis team adding that, “I am able to foster their learning so they can contribute to the world and the community, impacting lives and growing relationships so that they can thrive and grow. We learn humility and calmness and communication.”

Northeastern University (NU) undergraduate student Neel P Shah is earning his Bachelors of Science degree majoring in Computer and Electrical Engineering after having relocated from India in the spring of 2005. Neel has “always believed in a servanthood obligation” and that it is his duty “to return the benefits I reap to my community – my family, mu neighbors, my colleagues both globally and nearby.” His example has led him to active involvement as a chapter vice-President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and to organizing the Laptop Cooling Fan project as an intuitive interface for students. Neel envisions himself in five (5) years completing his undergraduate capstone project and then earning his Masters degree in Computer and Electrical Engineering also from NU. In fifteen (15) years, Neel aspires to developing “handicapped access to living facilities.” Looking forward to twenty-five (25) years, he sees himself investing both time and finances “in students who demonstrate academic commitment, a desire to study engineering, but have financial challenges.”

Allocating “time from [her] civil engineering academic program at Clarkson University (CU) to help other people who have less” is common knowledge for undergraduate student Jacqui Scibior. On-campus, she “works closely with the Red Cross for campus blood drives and administrative assistance” services. In the community, Jacqui travels to the overseas nations of Belize (building homes), Costa Rica (improving the living situation “of the slum cities”), Ecuador (water filtration project), Haiti (community development assignment), and Thailand (providing bamboo pellets for cooking). Her “on-going servant leadership activities” and efforts include serving through Habitat for Humanity, Women in Science and Engineering (WiSe), and the DC Central Kitchen by designing and implementing long-term viable answers and solutions “about sustainability.” Jacqui co-founded the Moses Freedom Project whose goal is to “raise [USD $] 100k for Sudan refugee Moses to build school/clinic/wells in Jebel Lado, Sudan.”

Po-Chen ‘Alfredo’ Chen is a first year Doctoral candidate in Philosophy of Electrical Engineering at Texas Agricultural & Mechanical University (TAMU) having previously earned his Masters of Science and Bachelors of Science degrees at the Polytechnic Institute of New york University. There he built for himself a solid reputation as a student who serves others, has an above average capacity to be productive in developing new ideas to bring to the market place, and he enjoys taking the initiative so that projects advance towards their delivery deadlines. His two years of hard work allowed him to demonstrate to his professors his ability to motivate his colleagues and his skills at animating others to be productive. Po-Chen Chen originates from Taipei, Taiwan, and sees himself in the next five (5) years after earning his Doctorate degree as an employed power systems engineer and a part-time professor going forward into the next fifteen (15) years, God willing. Jason recently received Jesus Christ as his personal savior and has welcomed God’s Holy Spirit into his heart.

Jason Lawrence successfully attended and proudly graduated from Fort Valley State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a grade point average (GPA) of 3.8 in 2001. Jason then attended, and graduated from, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2003 with a second Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He was hired prior to graduation  by Joint Test Tactics and Training where he is applying the engineering knowledge and mathematical skills he’s attained in college to rapidly advancing classified government work. Jason feels blessed about his current professional position within the company and his long-term prospects in the engineering profession.

Christopher S. Kinney is a present Civil Engineering undergraduate at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) with an anticipated graduation date of May 2013. Christopher belonged to the United states Merchant Marine Academy before transferring to civil engineering. He is blessed to have recently spent time in a community water quality project in El Salvador which inspires him to envision himself in the next five (5) to fifteen (15) years serving abroad after graduation. Christopher seeks to take his learned engineering skills acquired in college and to be proactively involved in leading projects focused on providing clean drinking water and sanitation for impoverished communities in developing countries. He is inspired by non-profits like Charity Water and ultimately plans in the next twenty-five (25) years to start his own non-profit.

Mavis Wong successfully defended her thesis and earned her PhD studies in Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) June 2014. This degree is in addition to her already earned Masters of Science in Civil Engineering. Her research is focused on membrane technology and osmotic processes for water treatment and purification having led to one published academic paper titled “Desalination” in an internationally peer-reviewed journal. Mavis has presented her research findings twice at American Chemical Society (ACS) conferences; is a current National Science Foundation Graduate Teaching Fellow (GK-12 Fellow); actively volunteers with the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) high school outreach program; and is the treasurer of the Engineering Graduate Students Association (EGSA). She firmly believes that “with my scientific background, sustainability-focused mindset, leadership abilities, and passion for teaching, I can help promote solutions to the environmental challenges we face now by educating the ones who will depend on these changes in the future.”

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) mechanical engineering undergraduate Kendall J. Moore looks forward to his May 2015 graduation date having graduated high school with honors. Kendall is currently a Omicron Delta Kappa National honor Society Social Committee member; volunteers regularly through a local non-profit; and is Public Relations Chair of a sexual assault awareness campaign on-campus and in the community. Kendall envisions himself in five (5) years as a graduate student at Michigan Technological University studying automotive engineering and design while “continuing extracurricular involvement.” In fifteen (15) years, Kendall “hopes to be ten (10) years into my professional career” and beyond that in twenty-five (25) years, Kendall has faith that “I strive to open a scholarship fund in my name for aspiring engineers.”

Elias Charbal Massoud in an upcoming University of Los Angeles (UCLA) Civil and Environmental Engineering Master’s of Science graduate who has an exceptionally strong background in math and an equally strong passion for science. Elias carefully chose engineering as his long-term professional career path because he firmly feels it allows him “to make a difference in the world and requires an ability to effectively work in groups.” He is genuinely proud of his present academic focus and research on the dwindling water resources that communities will face in the near future. After graduation, Elias will pursue a Ph.D. degree in hydro-geologic applications. He strongly believes that “the next generation of engineers will decide our future in regards to infrastructure, sustainability, and mitigation of resources, such as fresh water.”

Tondra Le completed her undergraduate education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), earning dual degrees in mathematics and electrical engineering with a minor in computer science.  She participated in the University and Departmental Honors programs.  During the final year of her electrical engineering program, she designed and built a Micromouse robot for her Senior Design project.  She and her partner were winners at numerous local and regional competitions, including the IEEE Region 6 Micromouse Competition and the Nevada NASA Space Grant Student Paper Competition.

Tondra graduated from UNLV summa cum laude  She was awarded the 2005 UNLV Undergraduate Regents’ Scholar Award, the highest academic honor given to one undergraduate student each year.  She was a recipient of the Honors Medallion and the Outstanding Senior Award from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.   in May 2005 and was the Commencement Speaker.

In the Fall of 2006, Tondra began her Ph.D. program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She was awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.  After earning her doctorate, Tondra would like to become a university professor. Tondra attributes her success to hard work and the support of her family.  In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, reading, writing, cross-stitching, and cooking. A long-time vegetarian, Tondra likes to think she has finally mastered the art of baking the perfect egg-less chocolate-chip cookie.

Drew Hall successfully completed his undergraduate education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and continued onto Stanford University earning his Masters at their Engineering School two years later. Drew has been, and continues, to serve on-campus, in the community, and in his work-place through multiple servant leader projects he has initiated solo and as part of a greater servant leadership team. Drew draws on his engineering academic background to better serve those who have less while gaining professional accomphlishments in his chosen field. He was, and remains, a solid servant leader wherever possible.

While attending medical school in his island homeland of Cuba, Carlos “Charlie” Chirino “was always involved in community service and leadership activities” despite “several hardships at home.” When he emigrated to the United States of America (USA), Charlie’s academic goals were refined and “instead of medicine, I decided to study chemical engineering.” His plans to excel include graduating from the University of Houston (UH) after transfering from Texas Agricultural and Mechanical (TAMU) with his Bachelor of Science degree. Charlie then will continue his academic education in a graduate engineering program. Thus far, he has been “named to the All-Texas Academic Team through Phi Theta Kappa” and been an undergraduate team member of a prestigious joint University of St. Thomas and Department of Education research program investigating “secondary vapor-phase pyrolysis of a biomass model-fuel compound in a tube reactor.” By the grace of God, Charlie’s strongest skills are “in a laboratory, researching issues that affect us for years, such as energy consumption.” In five (5) years, he envisions himself in the private-sector and in fifteen (15) years, he sees himself “doing research.” Known on-campus as “an exceptional and highly motivated” chemical engineering student, Charlie is confident that academic experience and knowledge will be solid assets “designated to help people around the world.”

Wow! Katelyn Demyan is the epitome of servant leader on the campus of West Virginia University where she is earning a dual Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Bachelors of Science degree; and has “the incredible honor of serving as one of the top student leaders of our band: the drun major” This on-campus servant leadership opportunity leading “over 200 students as a sophomore is phenomenal” and it extends into Katelyn’s community where she is a blessing helping “those who have less.” Katelyn gives back the the community working “for two years as a counselor for 4H.” Even though Katelyn assumes multiple servant leadership roles she is focused on how to fulfill her God-given engineering calling as she “aspires to in her future academic or career pursuits will be met with the highest order of achievement.” Katelyn envisions her responsibilities to serve others are her personal commitment to “never stop trying to make a differance.”

Seongwon “Jason” Hong was a platoon commander in the South Korean Army on September 14, 2003, when world-wide news headlines announced “Typhoon Maemi kills 72 in South Korea; 24 missing.” Those devastating acts of God led Jason to focus his university studies in an area that mitigates such tragedies: Geotechnical Engineering. A decade later, Jason has earned his Masters in Geomechanics from Stanford University and is currently earning his Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Upon completing his post-graduate degree in the next five (5) years, Jason will return to South Korea and, God willing, foresees himself in the next fifteen (15) years combining a career in teaching and research to “solve specific problems in my field.” Jason hopes in the next twenty-five (25) years to prevent tragedies and contribute to the safety and advancement of his “country and people.”