Outstanding Graduates
At the end of each spring and fall semester, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering takes time to recognize some of the graduating class for their outstanding commitments to both academics and the Fulton Schools at large.
Students selected as Outstanding Graduates are honored for their exemplary academic performance. To qualify, they must graduate with a minimum 3.40 GPA and have participated in major-specific or Fulton Schools activities. Students receiving an IMPACT Award have been singled out for their contributions to the Fulton Schools community in leadership, volunteer and service roles. Recipients must graduate with a minimum 3.25 GPA and display evidence of their positive impact on the community.
These exceptional students have excelled in research, community service, entrepreneurship and outreach, leaving a lasting and beneficial impact on the Fulton Schools community, Arizona and around the world. Many of these graduates have served as extraordinary representatives of ASU through industry internships, volunteer efforts or as ambassadors to communicate the mission of the Fulton Schools and the university as a whole.
Read about some of the Fulton Schools’ exceptional graduates of fall 2018 below.
Outstanding graduates
Nicholas Akkerman
BS in construction management
Almost as far back as he can remember, Nicholas Akkerman was drawn to mathematics and liked discovering how things are designed and built, especially homes.
Ian Cervantes
BS in human systems engineering
Ian Cervantes decided to stay relatively close to home to study human systems engineering, a branch of engineering that focuses on people and their behavior.
Sylvia Faszczewski
BSE in construction engineering
Growing up, Sylvia Faszczewski had an affinity for math and hands-on projects. These skill sets drew her to the field of engineering.
Derrick Gilbert
BSE in electrical engineering
After six years away from school to serve his country, Derrick Gilbert knew he wanted to pursue a degree in electrical engineering.
George “Jeff” Heinzelman
BS in technological entrepreneurship and management
After 25 years in the financial services industry, George “Jeff” Heinzelman decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree and broaden his professional acumen.
Thu Hoang
BSE in computer systems engineering
Thu Hoang knew from a young age that she wanted to be an engineer, even though what an engineer actually did wasn’t exactly clear to her.
Raveena John
BSE in civil engineering
Early on, Raveena John learned that people with lowest carbon footprints live in cities, where populations are the densest. Since then, she has been fascinated by the urban environment and its effect on people and nature.
Julia Liu
BS in computer science
Julia Liu always knew she would pursue engineering, as math and science were her best subjects in school. She chose computer science as her major because it also included “some element of creativity.”
Eric Mannix
BSE in mechanical engineering
Eric Mannix’s desire to help others has been clear throughout his time at Arizona State University. From selecting his major to his extracurricular activities, Mannix’s proclivity for leadership and problem-solving led him to not only excel in mechanical engineering, but to support others along the way.
Ioana Raluca Mihalcescu
BS in environmental resource management
Ioana Raluca Mihalcescu was initially drawn to engineering because of her father, who is a petroleum engineer. She also appreciated the field’s diversity and its potential to directly impact communities.
Richard Mortensen
BSE in engineering (automotive systems)
Richard Mortensen is proud to be accomplishing his goal of earning a degree in engineering, but returning to college and managing his time with a family of four children was challenging.
Luke Oldham
BS in information technology
Five years in the United States Marine Corps as a systems administrator helped Luke Oldham grow to enjoy and appreciate working in information technology.
Philip Sitterle
BSE in chemical engineering and BA in music performance (orchestral instrument)
Philip Sitterle says the most rewarding experiences of his undergraduate education “have also been some of the most challenging.”
Michaela Starkey
BSE in industrial engineering
Michaela Starkey has spent a significant portion of her undergraduate experience striving to make a difference in the lives of people inside and outside classroom.
Philip Thomas
BSE in aerospace engineering
Philip Thomas has always enjoyed solving problems and engineering allows him to have a hands-on problem-solving experience.
Daniel Travis
BSE in engineering management
For Daniel Travis, the opportunity to give back to the community is one he cherishes.
Janice Wallace
BS in software engineering
Janice Wallace has long been a fan of video games. That gaming background helped her realize software engineering was what she was meant to do.
Kathryn White
BS in graphic information technology
A spur-of-the-moment decision to apply for a study-abroad opportunity — only a week before the deadline — led Kathryn White to spend a semester in Brighton, England. And there, she says, “I found my love and passion.”
Zoë Wright
BS in aeronautical management technology (professional flight)
As a little girl, Zoë Wright’s father would take her to the airport café for breakfast before church. And that’s when she began to fall in love with airplanes and aviation.
Impact Award winners
Molly Baker
BSE in engineering management
Molly Baker grew up dreaming about working for Disney. She was always intrigued by the attractions and the mechanisms that brought them to life.
Jayden Booth
BSE in electrical engineering
Inspired by the movies Star Wars and Star Trek, Jayden Booth often envisioned himself building robots like R2-D2 or creating a spaceship like the USS Enterprise.
Francisco Brown-Muñoz
MS in chemical engineering
When Francisco Brown-Muñoz received the Sonoran Academic Excellence Scholarship he chose to attend the Arizona university with the best-ranked engineering school.
Jacob (Jake) Chapman
BSE in electrical engineering and BS biochemistry
One of the most meaningful things Jake Chapman learned in college is the joy to be found in helping others to learn.
Matt W. Davis
BS in computer science
An Arizona State University Experience Day during his senior year of high school led Matt W. Davis to attend ASU.
Tremayne Holland
BS in aeronautical management technology (unmanned aerial systems)
After serving in the United States Navy as an in-flight avionics technician aboard P-3C Orion aircraft, Tremayne Holland decided he wanted to head back to school.
Katelyn Kline
MS in materials science and engineering
From clubs and organizations to research and community service, Katelyn Kline has had no shortage of experiences as an undergraduate and graduate student at Arizona State University.
Tyrine Jamella Pangan
BS in software engineering
Tyrine Pangan’s family moved to the United States from the Philippines, their native country in Southeast Asia, when she was a child.
Trae Waggoner
BS in computer science
After learning how to code in high school, Trae Waggoner discovered what she enjoyed most is the logic of coding.
Nathanael Zuniga
BSE in mechanical engineering
Zuniga spent three years studying biology before he realized that his knack for problem solving, making improvements and learning the machinations of how things work were better suited to a degree in engineering.
Convocation speakers
Danh Truong
PhD in biomedical engineering
With interests in biology and engineering, biomedical engineering was a clear choice of program for Danh Truong, a first-generation student completing his doctorate at Arizona State University.
Dean’s Dissertation Award winners
Karthik Subramaniam Pushpavanam
PhD in chemical engineering
Karthik Subramaniam set out to solve a problem that had never been attempted before. He just didn’t know what that problem was.
Suhang Wang
PhD in computer science
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