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.

Find out who wins this year's honors at the Malott Innovation Awards, Friday, April 28, at 2:00 pm in the ME Atrium!

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...

Adia Raya

Adia is President of Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and has also held positions of technical director, social director, operations director, and Grand Prix pit crew. She has had leadership positions in Women in Engineering (WIE), served as ME 290 Lead TA, and also helped to lead the new Women in Mechanical Engineering (WiME) taskforce. She served as a leader in the Dean's Leadership scholars as well as a leader in WESO (women engineering student organizations) in order to put on the first ever WE-week that celebrates and empowers women engineers at Purdue.

Previous winners

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

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...

Jessica Howell

Jessica's leadership experience includes secretary and student activities committee head for PMEA, and Drive team lead for Lunabotics. She has served as a TA for ENGR 130, taught sections of ME199 How Stuff Works (and will serve as course coordinator next year), and serves as a mentor for ME sophomores in ME 290. She conducts research with Prof. McClain and has had a variety of industry experiences. She is also an officer for the Purdue Women’s Club Lacrosse Team.

Previous winners

  • 2022: Jack Walsh
  • 2021: Marcus Lannie
  • 2020: Abby Grillo

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...

Mackenzie Misterka

Mackenzie currently serves as a founder and co-president of Women in Mechanical Engineering (WiME) as a sophomore. This brand new student organization serves FYE students and grad students considering Purdue ME, current ME undergraduate & graduate students, and even women faculty, staff, and alumni. Within 2 months WiME already gained more than 100 student members; the 2023 incoming ME class has grown from 16% to 24% women.  She interned for the New Product Development Team at IMMI headquarters last summer, and has accepted a return offer for this coming summer to work on restraints and mechanisms in the commercial automotive safety industry.

Previous winners

  • 2022: Sajon Seaberg
  • 2021: Meredith Meyer
  • 2020: Jordan Harris

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 2023 graduating seniors who have accomplished all four, and achieved “True GRIT.”

  • Alison Brown
  • John Carter
  • Yizhou Fang
  • Shivani Pranatharthi Haran
  • Smrithi Pranatharthi Haran
  • Aarya Kapani
  • Joshua Keagle
  • Allie Losey
  • Bram Lovelace
  • Jared Nathan
  • Adia Raya
  • Diana Marie Sarrico
  • Gabriella Schalm
  • Mason Stocke

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

Interested in funding a Purdue ME Student Award?

 

Do you want to fund future awards to recognize the best and brightest Purdue Mechanical Engineering students? Contact Christina Starace at cdstarace@purdueforlife.org, or donate online today (and specify Student Awards!)