College of Engineering
2023 Outstanding Graduating Senior Award

Congratulations to our two Outstanding Graduating Seniors for 2023: Julie Gonzalez-Morales and Kenna Biddle!

Julie Gonzalez-MoralesJulie Gonzalez-Morales
Biomedical Engineering

Julie is from Kansas City, Kansas where she graduated high school. She started her undergraduate degree at Wichita State Biomedical Engineering in 2019. She is involved in many organizations on campus and programs including SHPE, Tau Beta Pi, Latinos Lead, Shocker Engineering Academy, ACE Mentoring, study abroad, undergraduate research, McNair Scholars and is a Rudd Scholar. You may know her from one of these organizations or from Geeks where she has been a tutor since January 2020. Off campus, she enjoys cooking, spending time with family, and trying new things. She also volunteers time to JayDoc free clinic, a volunteer run clinic, as a Spanish interpreter and as an event coordinator for the Rudd Scholars as well as other service event around the area. She hopes to bring change and innovation to the field of healthcare through the engineering skills she has gained at her time in Wichita. Above all, Julie enjoys helping those around her so if you need anything don't be afraid to ask.

Kenna BiddleKenna Biddle
Mechanical Engineering

Kenna grew up in Winfield, Kansas where she graduated high school in 2019. She continued her education at Wichita State, majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Physics. At WSU, Kenna has been heavily involved in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, ACE Mentoring Program, and Tri Delta for 4 years where she held many executive leadership roles. In her free time, Kenna enjoys volunteering with engineering outreach events, traveling, going to air shows, and golfing. She is a lifelong learner who has attended many engineering and leadership conferences and worked 6 engineering internships during her time at Wichita State. After graduation, Kenna will begin her career in Textron’s Engineering Leadership Development Program. She also hopes to pursue a Private Pilot License and an MBA in the near future, with long-term goals of becoming a technical leader in the aviation industry.

Award Overview

The College of Engineering Outstanding Graduating Senior Award recognizes one undergraduate senior from the college who has garnered outstanding achievements as an undergraduate and has demonstrated leadership both within the college and across the university community. This award, established in 2018, 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.

Award Criteria

To be eligible for the award, students must:

  • Be graduating with a bachelor's degree in a College of Engineering degree program in either Spring 2023, Summer 2023, or Fall 2023.
  • Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA as of the end of the Fall 2022 semester.
  • Have had significant involvement in, and made meaning contributions to, the College of Engineering.
  • Demonstrate high potential for a successful career in engineering or computing.

Selection Process

1. Application Submissions

Eligible students must submit the online application. The application includes the following materials. Unless otherwise noted below, materials should be submitted in PDF format.

  • 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).

2. Selection of Finalists

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 in February or March.

3. Selection of Outstanding Senior

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 the spring.

Past Recipents

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