Twelve Kettering University graduating students have been recognized as recipients of prestigious President’s Medal, Sobey Scholar and Leaders Fellow awards this year, and two students have received the Outstanding Thesis Award. The students will be recognized at an honors dinner and reception at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan, June 15.
The awards recognize a variety of academic, service, leadership and professional achievements. The awards dinner will be held the night before Kettering University’s Commencement ceremony, which is at 11 a.m. June 16, in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center.
The President’s Medal recognizes scholarship, professionalism on the job and community involvement.
Sobey Scholars awards are a distinction presented to students elected to the Robot Honor Society and one of Kettering’s academic honor societies.
Outstanding Thesis Award winners have demonstrated excellence in the Senior Thesis, as designated by their thesis advisors, the Senior Thesis Committee and the Director of the Center for Culminating Undergraduate Experience.
This year’s honorees are:
Jacob Benjamin Bonner Bacheldor
Award: President’s Medal
Hometown: Howell, Michigan
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Co-op: Robert Bosch LLC
Post-graduation plans: Working as a Calibration Engineer for Robert Bosch LLC.
Devin Yasmine Binelli
Award: President’s Medal
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Major: Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics
Co-op: Lear Corporation
Post-graduation plans: Pursuing full-time position in Mechanical Engineering and continuing passion for making music through singing, flute, Seaboard, and violin.
Ari Yohannes Budiono
Award: President’s Medal
Hometown: Belleville, Michigan
Major: Electrical Engineeering & Computer Engineering
Co-op: Ford Motor Company
Post-graduation plans: Working for Ford as a Ford College Graduate Electrical Engineer, and will pursue a Master’s in Business Administration.
Tya Sripradisvarakul Chuanromanee
Awards: President’s Medal; Outstanding Thesis
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Major: Computer Science
Co-op: Formerly Bosch and Kettering University
Post-graduation plans: Starting the Joint Ph.D. Program in Computer Science and Psychology at the University of Notre Dame in Fall 2018.
Chuanromanee received the Outstanding Thesis Award for their thesis entitled, “Diagnostic Assistance Software for Mental Health Care Providers.” Their thesis advisor was Dr. Guiseppe Turini, Assistant Professor of Computer Science.
Benjamin Fick
Award: Outstanding Thesis
Hometown: Tecumseh, Michigan
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Co-op: Barnes Aerospace, Lansing; and RedViking: Manufacturing and Test Solutions
Post-graduation plans: Pursuing a career in Noise, Vibration, and Harshness Testing.
Fick received the Outstanding Thesis Award for his thesis entitled, “Structural Health Monitoring of Rotating Structures Using a Mobile Digital Image Correlation Platform.” His thesis advisor was Dr. Javad Baqersad, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
Hilniqua Alexandria Gibson
Award: President’s Medal
Hometown: Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Co-op: Tenneco Automotive
Post-graduation plans: Will begin full-time employment with Tenneco Automotive as a Test Engineer in the Clean Air Commercial Business Unit.
Alec Meyer Gradl
Award: Sobey Scholar
Hometown: Buffalo, New York
Major: Chemical Engineering
Co-op: Umicore Autocat
Post-graduation plans: Working as a process engineer in Polyone's Engineering Leadership Development Program.
Stacy Lynn Mann
Awards: President’s Medal; Sobey Scholar
Hometown: Grand Blanc, Michigan
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Co-op: General Motors - Chassis Engineering
Post-graduation plans: Moved to Portland, Oregon, to be a design engineer in exterior lighting and mirrors at Daimler Trucks North America. She is also planning on pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering while working.
Matthew M. Meagher
Award: Sobey Scholar
Hometown: Howell, Michigan
Major: Industrial Engineering
Co-op: Beaumont Health
Post-graduation plans: Employed with the United States Postal Service and will eventually pursue a Master's Degree.
John Robert Osborn
Award: President’s Medal
Hometown: Millington, Michigan
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Co-op: Daimler AG
Post-graduation plans: Started working full-time with Daimler AG. I truly enjoy what I am doing here, but I never want my education to stop. I plan to continue to work with Daimler, and will begin working toward my Master’s degree in 2019.
Austin Robert Smith
Award: Sobey Scholar
Hometown: Sterling Heights, Michigan
Major: Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Physics
Co-op: FCA
Post-graduation plans: Working as a full-time engineer at Methode Electronics performing product design and development and plans on pursuing engineering master's in the near future.
Nolan Patrick VanWormer
Awards: President’s Medal; Sobey Scholar
Hometown: Bay City, Michigan
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Co-op: McNaughton-McKay Electric
Post-graduation plans: Continue a career with McNaughton-McKay in the Drives, Motion, Mechanical Group
Alyssa Nicole Warburton
Award: Sobey Scholar
Hometown: Grand Blanc, MI
Major: Biochemistry
Co-op: Hurley Medical Center
Post-graduation plans: Attend the University of Michigan Medical School.