Purdue ME Student Awards

Recognizing student excellence at every level

The School of Mechanical Engineering is pleased to announce the following awards, given to deserving sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduate students.  These students have demonstrated academic excellence, exemplified personal integrity, and exercised involvement in the community of Purdue University.

These include:

• Outstanding Sophomore / Junior / Senior
• Core Values Awards
• G.R.I.T. Awards

Award nominations open March 24, 2025!

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The John M. Starkey Prize in Mechanical Engineering

The John M. Starkey Prize in Mechanical Engineering celebrates the top all-around graduating ME senior every year, as exemplified by the school’s core values of Character and Personal Integrity, Academic Excellence, and Community Engagement and Leadership. The award comes with a cash prize of $3,000. Must meet the following criteria:

• Outstanding contribution to the School of Mechanical Engineering
• Demonstrated leadership and involvement
• Record of academic excellence

The John M. Starkey Prize in Mechanical Engineering is named after John Starkey, who served as a professor in Mechanical Engineering from 1982 to 2017.  He served as faculty advisor for Purdue's SAE auto racing teams, and also director of the ME463 senior design capstone class, where he oversaw the final Purdue experience for hundreds of students.

And the winner is...

Emma Balevic

Emma Balevic embodies the core values of the School of Mechanical Engineering. Through her role in Purdue Mechanical Engineering Ambassadors (PMEA), she has served as Course Coordinator for ME199 How Stuff Works for two semesters, as well as a TA for ME274 and a mentor for ME290. She conducted three semesters of undergraduate research at the DC Nanogrid House, and completed a 5-semester co-op with Honeywell Aerospace.

Previous winners

• 2023: Adia Raya
• 2022: Jennifer Ascher
• 2021: Tanmay Das
• 2020: Emily Nadler
• 2019: Kaan Ardic

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Frederick Morse Award for Outstanding Juniors

Presented to a student in junior level curriculum (they must have taken ME 309, ME 365, and ME 323); based on dedication to the School of Mechanical Engineering, in recognition of leadership within the community and department; examples of leadership include: club involvement, mentoring program, co-op/internship opportunities, etc. The award comes with a cash prize of $1,000. Must meet the following criteria:

• Outstanding contribution to the School of Mechanical Engineering
• Demonstrated leadership and involvement
• Record of academic excellence

The Outstanding Junior Award is named after Frederick Morse, who served as a professor in Mechanical Engineering from 1947 to 1985.  He is best known for creating Purdue's first cooperative education (co-op) program in 1954, and in the decades since, guiding hundreds of students through their first work experiences.

And the winner is...

Maitri Pandya

Maitri Pandya made history in 2023 when she helped to found the Women in Mechanical Engineering group, helping to grow it from four members to more than 200. She's also an incoming VP for Society of Women Engineers. She was selected as a Dean's Leadership Scholar for 2023-24 based on academic & leadership accomplishments. She has also done internships with Central States Manufacturing, Belden, and GE Vernova.

Previous winners

• 2023: Jessica Howell
• 2022: Jack Walsh
• 2021: Marcus Lannie
• 2020: Abby Grillo

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George Elwood Rhoads Award for Outstanding Sophomores

Presented to a student in sophomore level curriculum (they must have taken ME 200, ME 270, and ME 290); based on dedication to the School of Mechanical Engineering, in recognition of leadership within the community and department.  The award comes with a cash prize of $500.  Must meet the following criteria:

• Outstanding contribution to the School of Mechanical Engineering
• Demonstrated leadership and involvement
• Record of academic excellence

The Outstanding Sophomore Award is named after George Elwood Rhoads, who graduated from Purdue Mechanical Engineering in 1900; the funds were provided by his son, Albert B. Rhoads (BSME 1933).

And the winner is...

Greta Schantz

Greta Schantz is a multi-tasking Honors student with a passion for leadership, involvement, and entrepreneurship. As part of ASME, she hosts a podcast that interviews notable engineers on Purdue's campus. She's involved in WiME, SWE, and Old Masters. She has also done a manufacturing internship at Kautex Textron.

Previous winners

• 2023: Mackenzie Misterka
• 2022: Sajon Seaberg
• 2021: Meredith Meyer
• 2020: Jordan Harris

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Core Values Awards

We also give awards for students who best reflect our Purdue ME Core Values:

1. Persistently pursue excellence
   • ME faculty, staff and students are forward-thinking, determined, rigorous, and driven.  We go above and beyond the regular call of duty and exhibit excellence in all that we do.  We continuously improve and strive for innovation in our research, educational and professional endeavors, and our outcomes are second to none. 
2. Act with integrity and compassion
   • ME faculty, staff and students are ethical, honest, and kind above all else.  We do things the right way without compromise.  We are reliable and true, and we do what we say while reflecting the highest standards.
3. Collaborate within and outside Mechanical Engineering
   • ME faculty, staff and students actively listen, communicate, and work together. We are eager to break down institutional silos.  We create and value relationships that change the world for the better.
4. Foster a diverse, inclusive, and respectful environment
   • ME faculty, staff and students are empathetic, positive, encouraging, and treat others well.  We respect ALL voices and firmly acknowledge that everyone’s contributions matter.  We value diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and strongly support people from all backgrounds.
5. Provide service to all
   • ME faculty, staff and students use our skills, expertise and experiences to make a difference and foster change locally, regionally, and globally. We strive to do this with consideration and impact.  We help those around us to achieve their goals and those in need without expecting something in return.  We uphold the land grant mission of our university.

 

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The G.R.I.T. List

GRIT stands for Global, Research, Industry, and Teams. In the School of Mechanical Engineering, all students should strive to participate in all four, pursuing 100% GRIT. Here are the 2024 graduating seniors who have accomplished all four, and achieved “True GRIT.”

Learn about all the opportunities available for you to pursue 100% G.R.I.T!

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Interested in funding a Purdue ME Student Award?