Affinity Student Groups 20th Annual Joint Recognition Banquet

April 3, 2025
guests sitting at tables looking at the podium and projection screens

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and corporate partners were recognized for their commitments to engineering affinity student groups at the 20th Annual Joint Recognition Banquet. The participating groups included SHPE, SWE, BESS, and SASE.

Faculty, staff and corporate partners were honored at the 20th Annual Joint Recognition Banquet hosted in the Alumni Center held on on March 29.

Student representatives from the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the Black Engineering Student Society (BESS), and the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) presented awards to faculty, staff, alumni and corporate partners.

The event began with opening remarks from the night’s emcees, Mei Luangkhot, E’27, environmental engineering, and Shwetha Suresh, E’26, bioengineering. The two SWE members expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to gather and celebrate individuals for their support in student organizations.

guests sitting at tables looking at the podium and projection screens

Guests listen to MIE Professor Andrew Gouldstone’s speech commemorating the late Marilyn Minus, who was an MIE professor and chair.

Attendees conversed over dinner, exchanging stories from their respective organizations and corporations. The ceremony began with representatives from each student organization—SHPE, SWE, SASE, BESS— highlighting the four pillars the groups embody: academia, professionalism, service, and belonging. The students shared examples of how their organization demonstrates its commitment to the four pillars, including workshops, networking events, conferences, bonding activities and more.

Award presentations began with faculty awards from SWE, SHPE and BESS. Staff awards were jointly presented by all four organizations, with an additional award from BESS. The students who bestowed the awards spoke of their appreciation for the commitment and guidance the faculty and staff have provided them. Students then presented alumni awards to former members, reminiscing on their experiences together and the legacy they left. Corporate awards were presented to companies for their contributions in making the student organizations possible.

Andrew Gouldstone speaking at a podium between two projections of Marilyn Minus

Andrew Gouldstone shared stories and kind words about Marilyn Minus.

Andrew Gouldstone, MIE professor and associate chair for undergraduate affairs, honored the memory and legacy Marilyn Minus, MIE professor and department chair, who passed away in August 2024. He shared stories of her life as a leader,  mentor and friend. Gouldstone created a scholarship in her name for students that embody her passion for community, compassion, and justice.

The recipients of each award are listed below.

 

Faculty Awards:

  • MIE Assistant Teaching Professor Maguerite Matherne (SWE)
  • CEE Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Community and Outreach Loretta Fernandez (SHPE)
  • Computer Science Teaching Faculty Carter Ithier (BESS)

Staff Awards: 

  • Senior Director of Corporate Relations Marybeth Savicki (SWE, SHPE, BESS, SASE)
  • Associate Director Asian American Center Erena Hriskos (SASE)

Alumni Awards: 

  • Thomas Beaulieu, E’24, health science and nutrition (SASE)
  • Julia Treese, E’24, chemical engineering (SWE)
  • Andrew Abrego, E’24, electrical engineering and music technology (SHPE)
  • Anthony Barksdale, E’02, electrical and computer engineering, MS’06, engineering management (BESS)

Corporate Awards:

  • AMETEK (SWE, SASE)
  • BOSE (SASE,  SHPE)
  • UKG (BESS)
  • National Grid (SWE, SHPE, BESS, SASE)

Maguerite Matherne posing with a student holding her award

Katherine Growney presents Maguerite Matherne with a Faculty Award from SWE.

loretta fernandez stands with a student holding an award

Daniela Salazar presents Loretta Fernandez with a Faculty Award from SHPE.

Carter Ithier standing with a student holding a staff award

Franklin Alivierre presents Carter Ithier with a Faculty Award from BESS.

marybeth savicki holding an award and standing next to a student

Cecelia Segnatelli presents Marybeth Savicki with a Staff Award from SWE, SHPE, BESS and SASE.

image of erena hriskos projected on a screen

Erena Hriskos received a Staff Award from SASE.                                                                                                         .

Thomas Beaulieu standing to the right of a student holding an award

Khushi Khan presents Thomas Beaulieu with an Alumni Award from SASE.

Julia Tresse standing with a student holding an award

Carina Davis presents Julia Treese with an Alumni Award from SWE.

Andrew Abrego standing with a student holding an award

Luis Rodriguez presents Andrew Abrego with an Alumni Award from SHPE.

Anthony Barksdale standing with a student holding an award

Anthony Barksdale receives an Alumni Award from BESS.                    .

three people standing next to each other with the person in the center holding an award

Vidushi Misra presents AMETEK representatives with a Corporate Award from SWE and on behalf of SASE.

BOSE representative standing with a student holding an award

Sahithi Gollakota presents BOSE representative Jocelyn Zhu with a Corporate Award from SASE.

BOSE representative holding an award and standing next to a student

Ziven Lopez presents BOSE representative Diego Conterno with a Corporate Award from SHPE.

Tristan Bernard and UKG

Tristan Bernard presents a UKG representative with a Corporate Award from BESS.

students stand with two national grid representatives

Students from all four groups present a Corporate Award to two National Grid representatives.

 

Related Faculty: Marguerite Matherne, Loretta A. Fernandez, Marybeth Savicki, Andrew Gouldstone

Related Departments:Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering