Purdue Engineering names 2026 Dean's Leadership Scholars
Purdue Engineering has announced the selection of its newest cohort of Dean’s Leadership Scholars for the 2026–27 academic year. Established in 2019, the prestigious program recognizes exceptional undergraduate students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and a strong commitment to leadership. As Dean’s Leadership Scholars, these students serve as trusted advisors to the dean, providing student perspectives on strategic initiatives that shape the future of the college and enhance the student experience.
These are the newest members of the Dean’s Leadership Scholars program:
Aaliyah Zamorano
Senior, Mechanical Engineering
Aaliyah Zamorano has served as a mentor for first-year engineering students, working as a team supervisor and team leader for the Boiler Gold Rush program and as a lab instructor for ME 199: How Stuff Works, helping new Boilermakers navigate the transition to Purdue while encouraging their academic and personal success.
She is also actively involved in outreach initiatives that inspire future engineers and has taken on leadership roles within student organizations, collaborating across disciplines to strengthen the student experience. These include serving as vice president of membership for the Society of Women Engineers, outreach committee head for the Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassadors and member of the Mortar Board.
Alex Morales
Junior, Computer Engineering
As president of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Student Society, Alex Morales oversees the organization's operations, leads initiatives that connect students with faculty, alumni and industry, and has expanded programming through collaborative events across Purdue Engineering.
Morales also serves on the Purdue Engineering Presidents’ Council, where he works with fellow student leaders and corporate partners to improve recruiting and student engagement, and previously represented students as a Purdue Student Government senator. As an undergraduate teaching assistant for ECE, he mentors students in laboratory courses, while his experience as an EPICS project manager reflects his commitment to applying engineering solutions to community needs.
Alexander Repikov
Senior, Electrical Engineering
As a leader in Purdue Lunabotics, Alexander Repikov has served as software lead, fabrication operations lead, and power and hardware lead, where he has expanded the software team, developed onboarding resources for new members and helped the team earn the NASA Lunabotics Competition’s first place Autonomy Award.
Beyond Lunabotics, he has served as president of the Parker Halls Parliament, organizing programs that strengthen the residential community, and as president of the Bechtel Innovation and Design Center (BIDC) student organization, supporting student innovation through grant funding. He also serves as the electronics lab supervisor at the BIDC, where he oversees lab operations, trains students and employees, and expands resources available to student makers.
Anna Dalton
Junior, Electrical and Computer Engineering
As president and managing director of Purdue Solutions Consulting, Anna Dalton leads the organization's executive board, oversees consulting teams and serves as a liaison for client partners, ensuring projects deliver meaningful results. Previously, she served as a project manager, guiding student teams through client engagements.
Dalton also represents Purdue Engineering as a Purdue Student Engineering Foundation tour guide and a Semiconductors@Purdue student ambassador, engaging prospective students, families and industry leaders. Her leadership extends to EPICS, where she served as design lead for a multidisciplinary team developing an accessible instrument tuner for K–12 students with visual impairments. Through these experiences, Dalton has become a strong advocate for student success.
Arin Bhave
Sophomore, Electrical Engineering
As a senator for the John Martinson Honors College in Purdue Student Government, Arin Bhave represents student perspectives by helping develop legislation, gathering feedback from the student body and facilitating conversations between student organizations and university leadership.
In addition, he conducts virtual reality research in the Purdue Magnetics Laboratory, developing immersive educational tools and presenting research at campus conferences.
Charles Walker
Junior, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
As co-president of the Purdue Space Program, Charles Walker oversees 10 technical teams, helping coordinate resources, support project development and strengthen industry partnerships. He also serves as a grader for Purdue's introductory aerospace design course, where he collaborates with faculty to incorporate hands-on experiences and industry-relevant tools.
Walker is also a public service ambassador, connecting STEM students with opportunities in government, national laboratories and research organizations, and serves as a pilot and secretary of Purdue Pilots Inc. He also co-founded a student aircraft design club, leading the teams designing instrumentation and recovery systems.
Leo Malachowski
Senior, Electrical and Computer Engineering
As president of ECE Ambassadors, Leo Malachowski leads a student team that serves as the school’s primary bridge between students, faculty, department leadership and industry partners, driving initiatives that support prospective Purdue students, First Year Engineering students and current ECE students. He has also led community-engaged research in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lafayette and the City of Lafayette, translating resident perspectives into quality-of-life improvements.
In addition, he serves as crew chief for the First Street Towers Grand Prix team, mentoring new members while helping advance the team’s technical capabilities.
Mia Ufret Estrada
Sophomore, Chemical Engineering
As a member of the Purdue Engineering Student Council's campus relations committee, Mia Ufret Estrada helps strengthen connections between students, industry and the College of Engineering by supporting initiatives such as the Engineering Merit Fund and leading planning efforts for the Engineering Pitch Competition.
Beyond engineering, she serves as director at large and alumni relations chair for the Puerto Rican Student Association, helping lead cultural programming, wellness initiatives and alumni engagement.
Nachiket Magesh
Senior, Environmental and Ecological Engineering
As vice president of Boilers for Sustainable Dining, Nachiket Magesh led efforts to promote reusable dining solutions, working with Purdue Dining & Culinary, student organizations and industry partners to reduce campus waste while developing innovative pilot programs to encourage sustainable habits.
He also serves as a branch manager for the Sustainable Energy Club of Purdue, partnering with community organizations to promote renewable energy education and support local solar initiatives. In addition, he has mentored engineering students through Purdue's Academic Success Center and collaborated with the School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering to develop ideas that strengthen student engagement and outreach.
Raymond Weng
Senior, Biomedical Engineering
As outreach chair of Purdue Men’s Club Volleyball, Raymond Weng coordinates club events, builds relationships with external teams and organizations, and promotes engagement across campus and other club sports. He also serves as an undergraduate teaching assistant for a biomedical engineering course, where he mentors students, provides academic guidance and works to help classmates develop confidence in solving complex technical problems.
Through his engineering design projects, including a prosthetic elbow joint development project, he has led collaborative design efforts by integrating perspectives across disciplines and guiding teams toward practical solutions.
Vaishnnavi Purram
Junior, Industrial Engineering
As a teaching assistant with The Data Mine, Vaishnnavi Purram has guided student teams through complex data science projects while serving as a liaison with corporate partners to ensure technical solutions align with industry needs. She also serves as a semiconductor ambassador and vice president of the Semiconductor Student Alliance, where she helps connect students with opportunities in the semiconductor field and provides feedback to strengthen Purdue’s semiconductor-focused programs.
She is a researcher in the Specere Laboratory at the Birck Nanotechnology Center, under the direction of Thomas Beechem, associate professor of mechanical engineering.
Continuing Dean’s Leadership Scholars are Paige Bryan, Matthew Cannon, Vindhya Ganti, Ethan Gray and Taylor Helman.