Published: May 06, 2008 08:57 pm            

Rose-Hulman civil engineering student chapter on top again

For the third time in the past four years, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Cecil T. Lobo student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers has been awarded the Robert Ridgway Award as the nation’s best chapter, based on outstanding community service, professional activities, campus service and chapter performance reports.

ASCE cited Rose-Hulman’s chapter for “excellence in the effective and meritorious conduct of its affairs as a student chapter of ASCE through the ability and professional diligence of the Chapter officers, members and faculty advisers.” The selection committee particularly noted the chapter’s exemplary activities and public service.

The chapter, with 112 members out of 157 eligible civil engineering students, has made service and professional development its main goal, noted 2007 Chapter President Matthew Trowbridge, a senior from Fort Collins, Colo.

“This award truly represents our chapter’s dedication to community service and professional development. We had an excellent year and were able to complete so many worthwhile and beneficial activities for our community and our fellow students,” stated Trowbridge. “The Ridgway Award represents the phenomenal support of our advisers, faculty, staff, student chapter members and officers. These individuals made the difference for the chapter by their hard work and dedication.”

Noteworthy public service projects completed by chapter members in 2007 included completing an upgrade project for the Riley recreation baseball field; helping host Indiana Department of Transportation’s 2007 Maintenance Conference; building wheelchair ramps for Terre Haute’s 14th & Chestnut Community Center and Ramp It Up program; organizing a charity golf tournament that raised $3,200 for Habitat for Humanity of the Wabash Valley; supporting a water filter project in Sudan; conducting hot air balloon and popsicle bridge design projects for Wabash Valley middle-school and high-school students in Rose-Hulman’s Explore Engineering program; and conducting a campus fundraising drive that supports the Tribune-Star’s Christmas Basket Fund, which provides holiday meals to hundreds of local families.

Other chapter officers in 2007 included Andrew Pinkstaff, a junior from Vincennes; vice president; Rachel Howser, a senior from Scottsburg; secretary; and Sebastian Mendes, a senior from Seymour, Conn., treasurer. The chapter’s faculty adviser is Kevin Sutterer, associate professor of civil engineering. Practitioner advisers are Rose-Hulman alumni Laura Hemming of American Structurepoint; Kevin Forbes of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; and Jim McKinney, Roland Hutchins distinguished professor of civil engineering and interim head of the Department of Civil Engineering.

The award will be presented during a formal campus ceremony in May.

Rose-Hulman won its first Ridgway Award in 1998. The chapter joins Northeastern University, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah as winning four or more outstanding chapter awards. The honor was established in 1965 in honor of Robert Ridgway, who served as ASCE’s president in 1925.

The campus chapter was named in honor of Cecil T. Lobo, a civil engineering professor for more than 30 years. He also served as ASCE chapter adviser.

More information about Rose-Hulman’s ASCE chapter can be found at www.rose-hulman.edu/ce/asce/.

        

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