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Stevens Professor Woo Lee receives an honorary master of engineering degree at Convocation from Provost George Korfiatis and Trustee Angie Hankins '95, far left, as Stevens Professor Linda Vollkommer-Lynch bestows the sash. |
Convocation 2008
Sober warning, celebrations
make for a memorable event
The Stevens’ president welcomed the Institute’s largest freshman class yet this fall—some 598 students—with a sober warning and a very personal talk about how college-age alcohol abuse has touched his family. |
At Convocation 2008, Dr. Raveché silenced the Canavan Arena as he recalled three separate incidents when his family saw a college-aged family friend or acquaintance die an alcohol-related death. In one instant, his son lost one of his best friends in an alcohol-related death. Close family friends on their way to celebrate their son’s college graduation learned that he had died of alcohol poisoning. And four of his daughter’s college classmates died in a highway crash related to alcohol.
Raveché urged students to act responsibly—and to know that this type of tragedy could touch their own lives.
“Each year, we lose 1,700 students to deaths related to alcohol,” he said. And these repeated experiences inspired him to sign the “Amethyst Initiative,” a letter signed by a number of the nation’s college and university presidents and chancellors this past July to debate lowering the age 21 drinking age.
Raveché, who has four young adult children, said that his signature only means that he thinks the issue should be debated. He spoke about traveling to Europe and Asia, where binge drinking seems less of a problem and alcohol handled more responsibly.
“In America, unfortunately, we have a mystique about drinking,” he said. “It’s a cultural issue.”
Raveché said that despite some people’s efforts to intimidate college presidents who have signed the letter, the debate should go on.
“I think clarity will come out,” he said. “Nothing is gained by trying to suppress discussion on this issue.”
This life and death issue gave Convocation a more serious note than usual, but the day was also filled with celebrations, as Stevens recognized its top faculty and students with the day’s traditional awards.
Professor Woo Lee, director of the Center for MicroChemical Systems at Stevens, and Associate Provost of Graduate Programs Enterprise Ralph G. Giffin, III, received honorary master of engineering degrees that day, with Stevens Trustee Angie Hankins ’95 presenting the awards.
Hankins, a law partner with Stroock, Stroock and Lavan of Manhattan, urged students to take the time to know their classmates, faculty and administrators. Her best friendships, she said, came from activities such as fencing and the Stevens Technical Enrichment Program.
“I can not stress enough the importance of relationships,” she said, noting that getting to know a fellow alumnus even guided her toward a job.
As students were officially installed into the Stevens Honor System, student Andrew Kaplan, chairman of the Stevens Honor Board, reminded them that they are the 100th freshman class to be installed into the Honor System, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2008.
Stevens and the Honor Board are planning a number of events to celebrate this anniversary, culminating in an event during Stevens Founder’s Day in February.
Kaplan and others have been working to increase awareness of and improve the Honor System on campus. This past spring, they surveyed 1,100 students who said that “cheating was a serious problem on campus,” Kaplan said, and at the same time expressed a desire to gain the trust of the faculty. The survey results will be released soon and will be part of a campus-wide discussion on the Honor System, Kaplan said.
Kaplan urged Stevens students, staff, trustees and alumni to work together to strengthen the Honor System.
“The system has stood steadfast for 100 years … but without upkeep, this ‘bulk worth’ can erode,” he said.
Stevens gave out student and faculty awards for excellence in research, teaching, academics and extracurricular activities, with a number of the awards established by alumni.
Here’s a list of the awardees:
The 2008 Davis Memorial Award for Research Excellence, established by Jonas H. Ottens, Hon. M.E. ’77, to be given each year for excellence in research, to Professor Stefan Strauf, of the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, for his research work summarized in the paper titled “High frequency single photon source with polarization control” published as a cover story in the December 2007 issue of
Nature Photonics.
The following teaching awards are given to individuals of exceptional teaching ability who have demonstrated a great influence on students in and/or outside the classroom.
The Harvey N. Davis Distinguished Teaching Assistant Professor Award to Professor Michael zur Muehlen, assistant professor, School of Technology Management.
The Henry Morton Distinguished Teaching Professor Award, to Professor Vikki Hazelwood, Ph.D. ’07, industry professor, Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering & Science.
Alexander Crombie Humphreys Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor Award to
Professor Rainer Martini, associate professor, Department of Physics & Engineering Physics, School of Engineering & Science.
The Provost’s Award for Excellence in Online Teaching, established to recognize outstanding contributions to online instruction and online educational program development by a member of the Stevens faculty, to Professor Steve Savitz, executive-in-residence, School of Technology Management.
The 2008 Distinguished Teaching Assistant Award, for exemplary teaching in recitation sections, to John R. Toland of the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, and Sarath C. Jagupilla of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering.
The Harvey N. Davis Award, established in 1959 in memory of Harvey N. Davis, Hon. D.Eng. ’48, president of the Institute from 1928 to 1951, is given to the student organization which contributes most to the college and its students. The award went to WCPR.
The Martha L. Kattwinkel Award, established in 1952 by O. Frank Kattwinkel ’48, in memory of his mother, this award is given to the member of the junior class who gives most unstintingly and unselfishly to Stevens, to Regina Pynn.
The Colonel Basil M. Stevens Award, established by Mrs. Basil M. Stevens in 1963 in memory of her husband, it is awarded to the member of the junior class who has been selected as being distinguished for courtesy and character. The award went to Massiel Parra.
The Ada and Edwin “Doc” Farrell Memorial Award, established in 1987 in memory of “Doc” Farrell, athletic trainer from 1974 to 1987, and his wife, Ada, by his three children, it is give annually to that Stevens undergraduate who is entering the junior or senior year, and who most typifies those standards “Doc” adhered to and constantly strove to instill in others: Be involved in your community; be respectful and responsible; be honest and forthright; give of yourself to those in need; and turn adversity into opportunity. The award went to Bruce Jordan.
Ondrick Scholarship, established in 1992 by alumni and friends of Professor William Ondrick, Hon. M.Eng. ’74, it is awarded to a student who is entering the senior year and who has outstanding academic achievement and contributed unselfishly to the advancement of music at Stevens. The award went to Martin Burgert and Brian Quintin.
The Gustav G. Freygang Award, established in 1965 by the family, colleagues and friends of Gustav G. Freygang, Class of 1909, and former Stevens professor of mechanical engineering. It is presented to a member of the junior class and a member of the senior class for outstanding performance in the sequence of courses in mechanics given by the Mechanical Engineering Department. The award went to David Barth and Natalie Schloeder.
The CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award, given by the Chemical Rubber Company Press for scholastic achievement in chemistry during the freshman year and to encourage students’ interest in science, to Stevens Schwartz.
The President’s Award for Community Involvement, given by President Harold J. Raveché in recognition for the undergraduate student who gives unendingly to improve student life, to John Dennan.
Hans J. Lang Award for Excellence in Cost Engineering and Engineering Economics, to the member of the junior class in engineering management who has distinguished himself or herself in these topics. This award, given in memory of Hans Joachim Lang ’34 by his family and faculty of the Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Management (BEEM) program, went to Michael Munley.
The Robert H. Seavy Award, established in honor of Robert H. Seavy, M.S. ’48, Dean of Admissions, Emeritus, is given to the tour guide who best represents the values of Stevens Institute of Technology to prospective students and their families. Presented annually to the tour guides entering their senior year and who have given two or more years of exceptional service to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the award went to Michael Munley and Michael Stevens.
Panhellenic Council Academic Excellence Award is presented to the Panhellenic Council sorority that has achieved the highest grade point average for the Spring 2006 semester. Achieving a 3.40 GPA for the entire house, the winner was Delta Phi Epsilon.
Interfraternity Academic Excellence Award is presented to the Interfraternity Council fraternity that has achieved the highest GPA for the Spring 2006 semester. Achieving a 3.30 GPA for the entire house, the winner was Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Multicultural Council Academic Excellence Award is presented to the Multicultural Greek Council organization that has achieved the highest GPA for the Spring 2006 semester. Achieved a 3.43 GPA for the entire house, the winner was Lambda Upsilon Lambda.
The Tau Beta Pi’s Freshman Engineer Award, to the freshman student who has shown excellence in the engineering field, as well as exemplary character, to Anthony Shehab.
President’s Cup. This award was created by Stevens President Dr. Hal Raveché to recognize the Stevens athletic team that best exemplifies the values and ideals of the Stevens scholar athlete. The award is given to the team that has most excelled in athletic performance, academics, sportsmanship and citizenship. This year’s recipient is the women’s volleyball team. In 2006, the Ducks posted an overall record of 34-6 and set a new school record for wins in a season, which was the fourth straight year that the team accomplished this feat. Along the way, the Ducks captured their third-straight Skyline Conference title and ran their consecutive win streak against conference opponents to 31 straight matches. The No. 2 seed for the NCAA New York Regional Championship, Stevens captured its first-ever regional title and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. At year’s end, the Ducks were ranked fifth nationally out of 395 schools that sponsor women’s volleyball in Division III. Stevens was also No. 21 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association final national poll.
As a team, the Ducks posted a 3.25 grade-point average. The team also held a clinic for Rahway High School (N.J.), ran a clinic at Pier A in Hoboken and participated in the National Girls and Women in Sports Day clinic. The Ducks also read books to an elementary school in Roanoke, Va., as part of the Elite Eight Community Service Project.—Beth Kissinger
—Beth Kissinger |
