The University of Tulsa College of Engineering & Computer Science’s 55th Honors and Awards Ceremony celebrated academic excellence, bid a heartfelt farewell to esteemed faculty, and showcased promising futures.
James R. Sorem Inaugural Dean Andreas A. Polycarpou opened the ceremony by highlighting students’ impressive achievements. This year, 67 high-achieving seniors were honored, including 11 double majors and nine who maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
“Their dedication, resilience, and brilliance have brought them to this momentous occasion, and it is with great pride that we present them with these well-deserved awards,” Polycarpou said. “Each of the students we honor tonight has showcased exceptional talent and commitment within their degree program, embodying the spirit of excellence that defines our college. As they prepare to embark on their professional journeys, we applaud their achievements and anticipate the remarkable contributions they will make to the world.”
The ceremony also paid homage to former Dean James R. Sorem, Jr., who retired after a remarkable 39-year tenure at the university. Sorem served as dean of the previously named College of Engineering & Natural Sciences for 11 years before stepping down last year.
Spotlight on excellence: The awards
The highlight of the evening was the award presentations, including the Joe Pelton Endowed Award for outstanding senior design projects and the Tau Beta Pi Teacher of the Year.
The Joe Pelton Endowed Award went to the mechanical engineering team and its Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) Thermal Management Device project. The team, with members Teresa Valenzuela, Malia Aurigemma, Bryce Charles, Richard Crouch, and Sean Free, won $1,000.
In second place for the Pelton Award was the electrical and computer engineering team for its Tulsa Air and Space Museum F-16 Cockpit Simulator project. The team, with Jonathan Elliot, Zachary Gunter, Alec Izett, Spencer Luttenberg, and Blake Mumma, won $250.
Christian Constanda, the Charles W. Oliphant Endowed Chair in Mathematical Sciences, received the Tau Beta Pi Teacher of the Year Award. Kevin O’Neil, chair of applied mathematics and professor of mathematics, accepted the award on his behalf.
Awards were given across various departments. Each award was named after distinguished alumni or faculty who have made significant contributions to their fields.
The Wilbur L. Nelson Award in Chemical Engineering went to:
- Kaden Byrd
- Peter Duffy
- Melanie Eickmeyer
- Baron Gaines
- Christabel Martey
- Joseph Naddy
- Lydia Pergande
- Yesenia Portillo Urquiza
- Christopher Ryan
- Lana Sammur
- Mia Sisul
The Thomas W. Cairns Award in Computer Science went to:
- Julian Abhari
- Issa Alrubaye
- Joseph Breckon
- Brennan Crowder
- Zoe Delap
- Jayson Garrison
- David Jeffalone
- Areeb Khan
- Justin Kim
- Ian Kirkland
- Bridget Kurr
- Kyle Marshall
- Andrew Mires
- Rodger Phillips
- Ronnie Phillips
- Luke Runnels
- Jacob Sharp
- Thomas Steiner
- Diego Velasco
- Coleton Wheeler
- Tulsano Wibisono
The School of Cyber Studies awards went to:
- Samuel Lipscomb
- Nhon Nguyen
- Jacob Williams
The Ralph L. Langenheim Award in Electrical and Computer Engineering went to:
- Gage Allen
- Caleb Ballowe
- Ethan Beard
- Zackary Gunter
- Jonathon Elliott
- Matthew Suitor
- Spencer Luttenberg
The Ralph W. Veatch Award in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics went to:
- Michael Bemis
- Gary Ervin
- Kade Marquardt
- Jack Shaw
- John Smith Williams
The Sidney Born Award in Mechanical Engineering went to:
- Malia Aurigemma
- Bryce Charles
- Richard Crouch
- Jessica Dunaway
- Keelson Engles
- Sean Free
- Jackson Habrock
- Georgia Hilburn
- Kevin Inman
- Kellen Moreland
- Ramona Naghi
- Benjamin Prugh
- Keri Sharp
- Ethan Smith
- Teresa Valenzuela
- Kyle Zoellner
The Thomas C. Frick Award in Petroleum Engineering went to: 
- Khaled Alajmi
- Christopher Brockett
- Shawn Kekilian
- Kyle White