College of Engineering Outstanding Graduating Senior Awards
The College of Engineering has several awards to recognize outstanding graduating seniors. We invite you to learn more about the available awards, including The Stanley L. Lewis Memorial Award, the Harold and Melba Sullivan Award and the Dean's Award of Highest Academic Achievement.
The Stanley L. Lewis Memorial Award
Award Overview
The Stanley L. Lewis Memorial Award recognizes an undergraduate senior from the college who has garnered outstanding achievements as an undergraduate and has demonstrated leadership within the college and the campus community. This award was established in 2018 and is given each spring to a student who is graduating during the calendar year in which the award is being given. The recipient of the award receives a plaque and is honored at the WSU Senior Honor and College Awards Banquet in the spring. Students will also recieve a $750 prize for recieving this award. If mutiple students are selected, the prize will be split between each student.
In 2024, the award was renamed in honor of the late Stanley L. Lewis, father of Dr. Jacob Mendez, assistant dean of student success in the College of Engineering. Mr. Lewis sacrificed his dreams to allow Dr. Mendez to achieve his academic, personal and professional goals. Without the undying devotion of his father, Dr. Mendez's dreams would not have been possible. He is a first-generation college graduate from Wichita who attended Pittsburg State University for his bachelor’s degree, Missouri State University for his graduate degree and WSU for his Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Throughout his professional experiences in higher education, Dr. Mendez has found a passion for supporting students and helping them develop as leaders during their college experience. He values student leadership and involvement in extra-curricular activities and created this award to recognize students for their outstanding achievements during their undergraduate career.
For questions or more information, contact Dr. Cindi Mason.
Selection Process
Eligible students must submit the online application. The application includes the following materials. Unless otherwise noted below, materials should be submitted in PDF format. Applications are due by 11:59 pm on Sunday, February 23, 2024.
- A personal essay describing the applicant's contributions to the college and university community, ways in which the applicant has demonstrated effective leadership, and the applicant's future aspirations. The essay should be typed, double spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font with 1" page margins, and should be no longer than one page in length.
- A current resume.
- A high-resolution headshot photo (JPG or PNG).
- Students must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
An award selection committee comprised of College of Engineering faculty and staff will review applications and select up to five students to be named finalists for the award. Finalists will be invited to participate in a 15–minute interview with the selection committee the week of March 4-8.
From the pool of finalists, the committee will select one student to be named the Outstanding Graduating Senior. The recipients will be recognized at the WSU Senior Honor and College Awards ceremony in April.
February 23: Application Deadline
March 7: Finalists notified and invited to interview
March 10 - 14: Finalist Interviews
March 17: Notification of selected recipient
2024 Award Recipient
RJ Kunde
Hailing from DeKalb, Illinois, RJ transitioned from a business degree at Northern Illinois University to Aerospace Engineering at WSU in 2021. At WSU, he holds leadership roles as the President of the Mortar Board Honor Society and team lead of his AE628 Senior Design team. He's recognized as a NASA Jump Start Scholar and an Aerospace Engineering Honors student. Professionally, RJ's experience as a Flight Test Engineer Co-op at Bombardier Aerospace on the Global 7500/8000 jet aircraft program showcases his dedication to the aerospace industry. Beyond his professional and academic achievements, RJ is a passionate private pilot and dedicated community volunteer through both Bombardier and Mortar Board service initiatives. In his free time, he enjoys WSU intramural sports, competitive video gaming, and exploring Wichita with his wife. Ambitiously aiming for a future in aerospace engineering, RJ aspires to graduate studies and a career as a test pilot and astronaut.
Past Award Recipients
- 2024: Richard (RJ) Kunde, Aerospace Engineering, Spring 2024 | Runner -Up: Annika Thomas, Product Design and Manufacturing, Spring 2024
- 2023: Julie Gonzalez-Morales, Biomedical Engineering, Spring 2023 & Kenna Biddle, Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2023
- 2022: Jennifer Alfaro, Mechanical Engineering, Spring 2022 | Runner Up: Skylar Russell, Biomedical Engineering, Spring 2022
- 2021: Lorraine Lowrey, Engineering Technology, Spring 2021
- 2020: Subash Bhandari, Biomedical Engineering, Fall 2020
- 2019: Mason Bivens, Aerospace Engineering, Spring 2019
Harold and Melba Sullivan Award Winner
Award Overview
The Harold and Melba Sullivan Award is granted to a graduating senior at spring commencement and given in recognition of the highest cumulative GPA for work completed toward an engineering degree at WSU. In addition to award recognition, the award recipient receives a monetary prize, the amount of which varies slightly from year to year.
2024 Award Recipient
Logan Hutchens
Logan Hutchens grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, and graduated from Edmond North High School. At WSU, he is a Computer Science major and a Psychology minor. He is both a National Merit Scholar and a Wallace Scholar and strives for academic excellence above all else. He is a member of the Wichita State Chapter of FarmHouse Fraternity and served as President, VP of Administration, VP of Finance, and Scholarship Chair. During his two-year presidency, he led his chapter to have the top GPA among all Greek life on campus as well as having the top GPA among all FarmHouse chapters internationally. He participated in cross-disciplinary research with Dr. Erin O’Bryan and Dr. Huabo Lu and was a paper grader for Discrete Structures 2 for various professors. He is interning at Textron Aviation as a developer on their IT/Web Development Team and has been there since November 2022. He has accepted a full-time offer with Textron Aviation which he will begin upon graduation.
Past Award Recipients
- 2023: Murphy Ownbey
- 2022: Chase Tyler Williams
- 2021: Johnathan Edmonson and Kyle Wetter
- 2020: Zubair Khan
- 2019: Zaid Alashqar/Ian McMains
- 2012: Justin Ghere
- 2011: John Bird
- 2010: Derek Michael Bowman and Vanessa J. Maryott
- 2009: Lucas Daniel Staab and Clinton Lee Thompson
- 2004: Robert Arthur Collins II and Kimberly Marie Reuter
- 2003: Virginia Lee Youse
- 2002: Rachel Renee Cooper and Eduard Plett
- 2001: Wan Yen Lee
- 2000: Andrea Jennifer Vavra
- 1999: Darrin Richard Berube
- 1998: Shad M. Plante
- 1997: Thomas Alan Hueske
- 1996: Joel John Maleport
- 1995: Jeffrey Nathaniel Brown
- 1994: Sean Michael Plante
- 1993: Charle L. Smith-Roger
- 1992: Scott D. Papka
- 1991: Wilfred Brake and Leanna K. Rierson
- 1990: Sabrina Deann Phillips
- 1989: George S. Nitschke
- 1988: Ghada Ali Nader
- 1987: Hilary June Evans
- 1986: Charles David Binford
- 1985: Mark W. Scbremmer
- 1984: Vincent R. Betzen
- 1983: Andrew Joseph Wilhelm
- 1982: Verne Cameron Harnish
- 1981: James A. Lynn
- 1980: Rex Harold Allen
- 1979: Richard Raymond Caffrey
- 1978: Kurt Alan Fiscko and Mark Alan Martin
- 1977: Toby Gene Harrison
- 1976: Leta I. Stroberg Brower
- 1975: Ruth Ann David
- 1974: James R. Schmidt
- 1973: Robert Edward Breidenthal, Jr.
- 1972: Gary Earl Wetzel
- 1971: Robert Leroy Bailey
- 1970: Stanley H. Nunnenkamp
- 1969: Robert Dean Lindsted
- 1968: John R. Lovitt
- 1967: Narendra N. Batra
- 1966: Larry Dean Fruitger
Dean's Award of Highest Academic Achievement
Award Overview
The Dean's Award of Highest Academic Achievement is granted to a graduating seniors. It is given in recognition of students for their academic achievement. In addition to award recognition, the award recipient(s) receive a plaque and a monetary gift from the Dean's Office.