The College of Engineering has named Amy Bergerud, a senior in materials engineering, as the student marshal who will lead the engineering graduating class into Iowa State’s undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 19. She was selected from nominees submitted by each of the departments in the college.
Throughout her career at Iowa State, Bergerud has taken advantage of many opportunities to enhance her learning experience. She became involved with research as a member of the Freshman Honors Program and has continued to develop that interest working for Professors Iver Anderson at Ames Lab and Vikram Dalal at the Microelectronics Research Center. She has also had summer internships with Eaton Corporation in Belmond, Iowa, where she used ultrasonic testing to evaluate engine valves for defects, and Seagate, a hard-drive manufacturer in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Two international study abroad experiences—a six-week program at Brunel University in England and a semester at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden—have helped Bergerud gain a global perspective on her future role as an engineer. She has taken an active role in promoting study abroad opportunities through the Engineering International Programs and Services Office.
Bergerud is also very involved in Material Advantage, the materials science and engineering student club that has received six straight national awards for excellence. Bergerud served as programming chair her junior and senior years. This role includes bringing in speakers, both from industry and academia, and arranging industry tours throughout the Midwest.
Bergerud is currently applying to graduate school and plans to begin graduate studies next fall with the goal of pursuing a career in academia.
Other nominees and the departments who nominated them are Jesse Dodds (industrial and manufacturing systems engineering), Carol Faulhaber (agricultural and biosystems engineering), Jason Haase (chemical and biological engineering), Taylor Hopper (civil, construction, and environmental engineering), Karen Littlejohn (electrical and computer engineering), Sara Luke (mechanical engineering), and Molly White (aerospace engineering).
Dodds is graduating in industrial engineering with a minor in entrepreneurial studies. He is the recipient of the 2009 Senior Leadership Recognition Award and the 2009 Raisbeck Leadership Award. Dodds has completed four internships and a study abroad experience. He was the founder and first president of the Iowa State Sales Engineering Club. The club began with 20 members and now has more than 100 members with support from upwards of 15 companies. In February Dodds will join General Mills as an operations management associate in Buffalo, New York.
Faulhaber, who is earning her bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering, is an active member of the Engineering Leadership Program, Engineers Without Borders, and the Society of Women Engineers. In the effort to attract more students including underrepresented minorities to the engineering profession, she developed an outreach newsletter directed to high school students and organized events for preschool and middle school students aimed at exciting them about engineering. In addition, Faulhaber has worked with Iowa State students and faculty on developing a sustainability policy on campus and increasing student involvement in conservation activities. She has also completed internships with Cargill and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.
Haase, who is a chemical engineering major, is a member of the Omega Chi Epsilon and Tau Beta Pi honor societies. He has completed a three-term co-op at Dow Chemical and internships with Boston Scientific and Well’s Dairy. Haase has also worked four semesters on research with Professor Charles Glatz and has co-authored a journal article. He has taken a leadership role in a number of extracurricular activities including Engineers’ Week, the Society of International Engineers, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the Iowa State Tennis Club.
Hopper is earning a BS in civil engineering and an MBA. He has completed internships with Stanley Consultants and Jacobson-Westergard and Associates and is a working shareholder and cofounder of Barista Café in Ames. Hopper has been involved in a wide variety of activities including the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Learning Community, the President’s Leadership Class, Beta Theta Pi, and the Iowa State University marching band.
Littlejohn is graduating with concurrent BS and MS degrees in computer engineering and a minor in mathematics and criminal justice. She served as president of the Society of Women Engineers in 2009 and previously was vice president and computer coordinator. She is also president of Eta Kappa Nu, the international honor society for electrical and computer engineers. In 2006 Littlejohn was one of eight students from across the United States to receive the student intern/co-op contribution award at GE Healthcare.
Luke is a mechanical engineering major with a minor in Spanish. She has completed internships at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Boeing’s Satellite Development Center, the ESCO Group, and Iowa State’s Center for Nondestructive Evaluation. As a special project for the Iowa State Department of World Languages and Cultures, she developed an animated software program to provide an interactive map for different countries. Luke has also spent time meeting with first-year mechanical engineering students to share her experiences as they explore possible career options.
White, who is graduating in aerospace engineering, is president of Sigma Gamma Tau, the national honor society in aerospace engineering. She has completed three co-op tours at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and will begin a full-time position at NASA in February. White received the Iowa State University 2009 Office of Student Financial Aid Student Employee of the Year Award and the Student of the Year Award for the state of Iowa granted by the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators for the dedication and effort she gave while working as an undergraduate teacher assistant for the astrodynamics course.