Outstanding Graduates
Engineering and Design
Outstanding Graduates 2022
Dylan Willis
Industrial Design
Dylan played a key role in creating the student Makerspace on campus, an unforgettable legacy from his time as a Western student. He also served as the treasurer and fundraiser lead for the Industrial Designers of America Club. He was even part of the Viking Band. On top of everything he did on campus, he interned for General Electric as their industrial design intern and the skills he learned there helped catapult him to a similar role at Pensar Development. He plans to continue his career as an electronics and medical equipment designer at a consultancy in Seattle.
Rose Solway
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Rose has excelled within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, with a 3.96 GPA even while maintaining several community engagement, professional service, and peer mentoring activities, including mentoring newer students throughout the transition to and from remote learning. Rose has been an early and active mentor in the BEES program — which works to recruit and retain academically talented, low-income students from diverse backgrounds — sharing her knowledge of her discipline and the program and helping to create a sense of belonging. She also served as president of IEEE-HKN, the engineering honor society. She continues her balancing act outside of school as an aerial performer with the Bellingham Circus Guild. After graduation, she will begin working as an embedded systems validation engineer for PACCAR.
Juliana Covarrubias
Plastics & Composites Engineering
Juliana is not only a gifted scholar and researcher, but an excellent mentor to other students. She was a mentor in the BEES Program and even set up a scholarship fund. She was a well-regarded teaching assistant in an introductory plastics course and CAD courses. She participated in research on ocean plastics, earning a lead authorship on a paper presented at SPE-ANTEC, a professional plastics conference. She also developed a chemical recycling technique to depolymerize carbon fiber-epoxy composites and then reused the reclaimed carbon fibers in new thermoset composites. Next, she’ll work for Janicki Industries as a research and development project engineer.
Robert Butnar
Manufacturing Engineering
When Robert entered his major, he hit the ground running and never slowed down, driven by a lifelong interest in manufacturing and automation. Despite starting the major as the pandemic hit, Robert excelled in his classes with one of the highest GPAs in his graduating class. He has been a leader on his senior project team as well as on Western’s Formula SAE team, where Butnar is the technical director, focusing on the design, manufacture, and testing of the formula-style electric race car, while fostering an inclusive environment and healthy team dynamic. After graduation, Robert will work for Janicki as an automation engineer.
Previous Outstanding Graduates
|
Recipient |
Year |
|---|---|
| Kevin Hjelstrom, Plastics & Composites Engineering | 2021 |
| Daichi Tamai, Electrical and Computer Engineering | 2021 |
| Adam Hess, Industrial Technology- Vehicle Design | 2021 |
| Matthew Koscica, Industrial Design | 2021 |
| Gina Kim, Manufacturing Engineering | 2021 |
| Jacob Newer-Thurber, Industrial Technology - Vehicle Design | 2020 |
| Ben Lorimore, Industrial Design | 2020 |
| Nathan Bock, Electrical Engineering | 2020 |
| Mikaela Sadri, Plastics & Composites Engineering | 2020 |
| Austin Ball, Manufacturing Engineering | 2020 |
| Arthur Marechal, Electrical Engineering | 2019 |
| Georgia Donaldson, Manufacturing Engineering | 2019 |
| Levi Hamernik, Plastics & Composites Engineering | 2019 |
| Annelise Payne, Industrial Design | 2019 |
| Logan Slack, Industrial Technology - Vehicle Design | 2019 |
| Kyle DeWitte, Electrical Engineering | 2018 |
| Erica Eggeman, Manufacturing Engineering | 2018 |
| Chris Croshaw, Plastics & Composites Engineering | 2018 |
| Scott Patton, Industrial Design | 2018 |
| Ryan Peabody, Industrial Technology - Vehicle Design | 2018 |
| Chris Carpenter, Plastics & Composites Engineering | 2017 |
| Myann Refai, Manufacturing Engineering | 2017 |
| Cole Rogers, Electrical Engineering | 2017 |
| Justin Janczakowski, Industrial Design | 2017 |
| Aidan Kane, Industrial Technology - Vehicle Design | 2017 |
| Jolee Nebert, Industrial Design | 2016 |
| Victor Perez, Electrical Engineering | 2016 |
| Kyle White, Manufacturing Engineering | 2016 |
| Jacob Blagg, Industrial Technology - Vehicle Design | 2016 |
| Andrew Hollcraft, Plastics & Composites Engineering | 2016 |
| Mauricio Romano, Industrial Design | 2015 |
| Isaiah Ryan, Electrical Engineering | 2015 |