Second class of Purdue Engineering Fellows announced
Nominations are sought from Purdue Engineering faculty and staff at the end of the second semester of the students’ junior year. All engineering students at this stage of their college career are eligible to be nominated. A committee then makes final selections.
“Five outstanding engineering students received this honor this year. Each of these students has unique leadership skills and the ability to make a difference in the world,” said Mark Lundstrom, acting dean of the College of Engineering and the Don and Carol Scifres Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
“Each of them has demonstrated an ability to think critically, to solve problems creatively, and to be valued among their peers. Because of the generosity and thoughtfulness of our donors Robert Buckman and Joyce Mollerup, every student who obtains an engineering undergraduate degree has an opportunity to receive this honor,” Lundstrom said.
The 2020-2021 Purdue Engineering Fellows are:
Léony Boudreau, Biomedical Engineering
Léony Boudreau, who is earning minors in psychology, critical disabilities, innovation and transformational change, is from Québec, Canada. A member of the Purdue Women’s Basketball team, she is conducting research in the Human Injury Research and Regenerative Technologies lab. She is the co-founder of Wheel Rise, an annual event to raise awareness for Paralympic Sports and empower lives through sports and inclusivity. Léony also started a student-organization called RIISE (Reinventing the Interface of Inclusivity, Sports and Engineering) to empower students to pursue other projects in sports engineering to improve sports performance and accessibility. She serves as the director of diversity and inclusion of the Student-Athletes Advisory Committee, is Industrial Relations Chair of Tau Beta Pi (engineering honors society), and is a mentor for students pursuing degrees in STEM.
According to her nominators: “Léony is a household name within BME, with faculty and staff all well aware of her incredible dedication, creativity, engineering and problem-solving skills, scholarship, and community-building presence. She ranks as the top student I have worked with out of over 600 students in the past six years. She doesn’t make excuses, even when warranted.”
Christina Core, Chemical Engineering
Christina Core, of Hudson, Ohio, has held an officer position on the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) board since her freshman year. Currently president, she created the NSBE4Change Committee with the vision of seeing actionable change at Purdue University, specifically within the College of Engineering, to ensure that black/minority engineering students receive the respect they deserve and support against microaggression, bigotry and discrimination. In addition, she’s the vice president of the Chemical Engineering Student Ambassadors as well as a mentor and ambassador in the Minority Engineering Program recruitment events.
According to her nominators: “Christina approaches everything she does with integrity. She is not only an excellent student ambassador for Purdue Engineering, but she is also an exceptional student advocate. She has demonstrated incredible leadership and maturity through her work. Christina is not only spurring positive behavior in other engineering undergraduate students, but she is also promoting positive behavior in collaboration with our own Engineering Leadership and College Dean’s Office. As administrators who work closely with graduate students (and recruiting undergraduates from across the country), we can say that Christina’s ‘can-do’ attitude is unmatched and exceptional for an undergraduate going into her senior year.”
Zachary Marshall, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and Aerospace Financial Analysis
Zachary Marshall, of Orland Park, Illinois, possesses industry experience with three airlines in data analysis, revenue management, network planning and preventative maintenance, and was recently named a 2020 Astronaut Scholar. On campus, he is the president of the Purdue Student Chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, has previously served on the board of directors of Purdue Student Government, and is a member of Mortar Board, Sigma Gamma Tau and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies. He enjoys conducting research at Purdue’s Advanced Aviation Analytics Institute for Research – Center of Research Excellence [A³IR-CORE]. Upon graduation, Zachary aspires to work in aircraft systems design at a large aerospace and defense firm or government agency.
According to his nominators: “Zach is an excellent team member – knowing when to step into different roles (whether leading or in the background) – for the success of the team. When Zach participated in the 2019 and 2020 FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competitions, he was the only native English speaker on the team. Although he would have preferred to develop the code, he gave up his preferred job and wrote the project proposal report instead, since serving in this role would help this specific team better. Zach’s 2020 team won its category competition, which Zach credits to the team ‘playing to their strengths.’”
Emmalee Severson, Industrial Engineering
Emmalee Severson, who is minoring in management and earning a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is from Westfield, Indiana. She serves as co-president of Purdue Engineering Presidents’ Council and is a student consultant in the Boilermaker Consulting Group. Emmalee also is a peer counselor in the Office of Future Engineers and a mentor for the Women in Engineering Program. As a member of the Purdue Engineering Student Council, she led efforts to execute the allocation of scholarships to students who lost their internships due to the COVID-19 crisis and also led the group’s decision for the Industrial Roundtable to become virtual so that students could still have the platform to obtain internships and employment after graduation. As vice president of operations for Stempower, an organization that mentors Girl Scout Troops in STEM through lessons and activities, she organized a multi-part event where the girls toured Bechtel Innovation and Design Center, trying on welding equipment, seeing laser cutters and water jets, and learning about 3D printing first-hand.
According to her nominators: “Emmalee balances academic performance in a very rigorous program with valuable work experiences and meaningful involvement in extracurricular activities that she feels strongly about. She has the qualities and abilities to be a great and thoughtful leader. She uniquely analyzes situations and evaluates how to create better environments for students and faculty.”
Matthew Vining, Environmental and Ecological Engineering
Matthew Vining, of Boerne, Texas, has been a student ambassador for the Society of Environmental and Ecological Engineers, a technical team leader in Engineers Without Borders Purdue, a member of The Purdue Student Sustainability Council, a director of Governmental Relations in Purdue Student Government, and is acting as this year's president of MAES (Latinos in Science and Engineering). He has participated in study abroad experiences in Sweden, Denmark and New Zealand. Outside of classes, he works at the office of Global Engineering Programs and Partnerships as an ambassador coordinator and office assistant. Matthew has interned for the U.S. Air Force Civilian Service as a civil and environmental engineering student trainee and as an undergraduate research assistant with the University of Canterbury, focusing on efforts to use local waste sources as growth mediums and storm water treatment devices on green roofs.
According to his nominators: “Matthew is a collegial student who leads by example and is supportive of his teammates during challenging and stressful times when deadlines for projects are looming. He displays a level of comity and dedication that makes him a wonderful teammate and role model for his peers. Matthew has extensive leadership experience in helping to coordinate and guide teams, which are comprised of students with diverse experiences and backgrounds.”
