Pavel (Pasha) Beresnev, senior in civil engineering, will serve as the College of Engineering’s student marshal for the fall 2012 commencement ceremony held Saturday, Dec. 15. He will be accompanied by Say Kee Ong, a professor in the civil, construction, and environmental engineering department.
Beresnev doubled-majored in civil engineering and French, and was awarded a High Scholarship Award in both the College of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for maintaining a grade point average in the top two percent of both colleges. He is a Cardinal Key Honor Society Member, and has been a nominee for both Rhodes and Marshall scholarships.
Beresnev studied abroad at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, and while there interned in the laboratory for Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Hydrology. He worked as an undergraduate research assistant in the ISU Structural Engineering Laboratory, and also completed an internship with Meyer Borgman Johnson in Des Moines.
Beresnev combined volunteer work with his high academic standards, volunteering as a freshman for Engineers for a Sustainable World to bring rainwater harvesting to a village in India. As president of ESW, he led fundraising for wells in India and an energy audit that identified $10,000 in potential annual savings for a building on campus. During his four years at ISU, he volunteered at Food at First in Ames and the 10,000 Hours Show of Central Iowa, which enlists volunteers for service activities and recognizes them at an annual show.
After graduation, Beresnev will be joining Boeing’s commercial aircraft group in Seattle, Wash., as a structural design engineer.
Outstanding Seniors this year are:
- Ryan Alley, computer engineering with a second major in music
- Jonathan Driggs, electrical engineering
- Brett Ebert, mechanical engineering
- Alex Feygin, aerospace engineering
- Meredith Gibson, chemical engineering
- Maria Hannasch, construction engineering with an emphasis in mechanical and a second major in German
- Alex Kelly, industrial engineering
- Jyahao Leong, biological systems engineering, with an emphasis in biorenewable resources and a minor in engineering sales
- Timothy Pearson, materials engineering with an emphasis in ceramics and electronics, and a minor in economics
- Jeremy Vittetoe, agricultural engineering with an emphasis in power and machinery and a minor in agronomy
Ryan Alley received a music education degree in 2009 and returned to Iowa State to earn a degree in computer engineering. A student with varied interests, he served as principal flutist for the ISU Orchestra, as president of the ISU Unicycle Club, and he participated in boxing. He is vice president of the Golden Key International Honor Society. Alley studied abroad at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, and completed a research experience for undergraduates at the University of Oklahoma. He interned at Boeing twice, working in missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle development. He has worked with Assistant Professor Santosh Pandey on his senior design team to create software that will autonomously identify the movement of the microscopic C. elegans. After graduation, Alley will work for Amazon in Seattle, Wash., as a software developer.
Jonathan Driggs held leadership positions as a student, serving as Iowa State Robotics Club vice president and as a team leader on the senior design capstone project of Ultrasound Brain Imaging Systems. He was active in the Eta Kappa Nu Electrical and Computer Engineering Honors Society, as a student researcher in the investigation and simulation of wireless physical-layer network coding and implementation of OFDM communication on a software radio. He also served as an Iowa State tutor. Driggs interned at Rockwell Collins. After graduation, Driggs will work as an engineer for L-3 Communication Systems-West in Salt Lake City, Utah, designing data modems for satellite communications systems. He will also purse a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Utah.
Brett Ebert was a dean’s list student every semester he attended Iowa State, and is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma Engineering honor societies. He was a Mechanical Engineering Learning Team peer mentor and an ME Learning Community Team peer mentor coordinator. Ebert completed multiple internships with Boeing and with Chevron Phillips Chemical Company. During his summer 2012 internship with Boeing, he served as president for the Boeing Intern Advisory Board. In addition to academics, Ebert was active in the ISU College Football “Varsity” Marching Band drum line, served as section leader since 2010, and earned an award for his service to the drum line. He also helped lead the GROOVE Drum Line Student Club. After graduation, Ebert will continue attending Iowa State to earn his master’s degree in aerospace engineering.
Alex Feygin enhanced high academic achievement by serving as a mentor to his fellow students and as a volunteer in the community. At Iowa State, he served as a Destination Iowa State team leader, a Spring Career Fair ambassador, and as a peer mentor for the undeclared Engineers Learning Community. In addition, Feygin volunteered for Great Relationships in Pairs Program (GRIP) at Youth and Shelter Services, and for Heartland Senior Services in Ames. While at Iowa State, he was part of the Tau Beta Pi scholar’s program, and he received the President’s Award for Competitive Excellence. During his academic career, Feygin completed numerous work and research internships including Boeing in Seattle, Wash.; Iowa State’s Center for Non-Destructive Evaluation; the Terrus Real Estate Group in Des Moines; and at NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. After commencement, Feygin will work for Boeing in Seattle, Wash.
Developing leadership skills was key to Meredith Gibson’s academic career in chemical engineering. She was one of 21 young women chosen for mentorship through the National Math and Science Initiative’s Young Leaders Program. Gibson was the only college student invited to represent the Young Leaders Program at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C. At Iowa State, Gibson served as membership director and upper advisor in Emerging Leaders in Engineering, and participated in the Engineering Leadership Program. She encouraged young students to study engineering through her involvement with Minds of Tomorrow, an outreach program for K-12 schools. She was a member of Tau Beta Pi and Omega Chi Epsilon honor societies. Gibson interned at Green Source Energy and at ExxonMobil Research in Paulsboro N.J., where she will be employed after graduation.
Maria Hannasch was a dean’s list student recognized as an outstanding senior in her second major, German, and winner of numerous academic scholarships. She was a member of Sigma Lambda Chi, a construction honor society, and Phi Beta Kappa. Hannasch served as president of the student chapter of the Mechanical Contractors Association, and as a role model in the Program for Women in Science and Engineering. She was a tutor in German, and a peer mentor in the construction engineering cornerstone learning community. Hannasch studied abroad at the Ganz University of Technology in Austria. She completed three internships including two at M.A. Mortenson Company, in Minneapolis, Minn., where she will be employed after graduation as field engineer.
Alex Kelly involved himself in a variety of activities while at Iowa State, including serving as a Cyclone Aide and with membership in the Sales Engineering Club, Dance Marathon, and the Glass Blowing Club. Kelly also acted as the vice president of finance for Sigma Phi Epsilon, managing a $250,000 budget. As an intern at Rockwell Automation, Kelly presented safety automation products to customers around the state of Iowa. In another internship at United Airlines, he developed industrial engineering solutions for problems at various United hubs nationwide.
Jyahao Leong filled many leadership positions during his time at Iowa State, including chapter improvement and communications co-chair for Tau Beta Pi, honor member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (ISU Chapter), material and inventory procurement leader for the ISU BIOBUS, and vice president for the ISU Chinese Language and Culture Club. Leong was also a teaching assistant for biorenewable systems engineering and an agricultural and biosystems engineering peer mentor. Leong gained professional experience as an undergraduate research assistant for the Center for Sustainable Environmental Technology, and for the Biorenewable Education Lab. After graduation, Leong with enter the biorenewable technology graduate program.
Timothy Pearson achieved competitive success as a student, co-authoring the 2011 Best of Conference Paper at the Surface Mount Technology Association International (SMTAI) conference and exhibition. He was also the winner of the IPC APEX undergraduate research competition.Pearson gained experience through a study abroad opportunity in England, and afterward became involved in the Society of International Engineers. He also served as a peer mentor for the materials engineering learning community. Pearson interned with Rockwell Collins multiple times, and was selected to represent the company at a project presentation competition. After graduation, Tim will work for Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas.
Jeremy Vittetoe contributed to Iowa State through service as treasurer of Emerging Leaders in Engineering, as an Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering departmental tutor for over 250 hours, and as community service chair of the American Society of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers, Iowa State chapter. Vittetoe also served as a student representative on the ABE Computer Education Committee. He was a member of Tau Beta Pi, the Gamma Sigma Delta agricultural honor society, the Alpha Epsilon agricultural engineering honor society and a recipient of an American FFA degree. Vittetoe completed four internships—at John Deere, HUSCO International, and twice at Quality manufacturing. After graduation, Vittetoe will be employed at John Deere in Ottumwa as a design engineer.