CEE Celebrates the Excellence of the 2023 Graduating Class

As the spring quarter concludes, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering celebrates the awards received by the Class of 2023. Of this class, 19 undergraduates graduated with degrees in civil engineering; 14 students graduated with degrees in environmental engineering.  

Upon graduation, several students were presented with departmental awards.  

Katie Lev, who graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and an M.S. in Structural Engineering, received the Civil Engineering Senior Award. This award was established by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to recognize an outstanding civil engineering graduating senior.  

Kelsey Yao, a student of environmental engineering who graduated with her B.M. in Piano Performance, was awarded the Environmental Engineering Senior Award. This award was established by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to recognize outstanding environmental engineering graduating seniors. 

Both Jose Marquez, B.S. in Civil Engineering, and Robert Szymczyk, B.S. in Civil Engineering who will pursue his Master's at Northwestern in the fall, received the Edwin C. Rossow Prize for Structural Engineering Senior. This prize was established by Professor Rossow’s former students to honor his contributions and dedication to his students. The award is given to a civil engineering student who, by activities and achievements, demonstrates the enormous potential to contribute and succeed as a professional in structural engineering. 

The Jimmie Quon Memorial Award for Environmental Engineering Senior was awarded to Cythnia Cheng, who graduated with a B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Engineering. Established by his former students to honor Professor Quon and his contributions to the academic and environmental engineering profession, this award is given to an environmental engineering senior with the highest potential to make significant contributions to the advancement of environmental engineering and a positive impact on society.  

Victoria Pirozzi, B.S. in Environmental Engineering, Ilan Gasko, B.S. in Environmental Engineering, and Mary Shirk, B.S. in Civil Engineering, were all awarded the Wallis S. Hamilton Award for Civil and Environmental Engineering Senior – an award that recognizes a senior who best exemplifies the standards of Professor Hamilton: teacher, researcher, and professional engineer.  

Finally, Avi Chung, B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Engineering, and Robert Hickmott, B.S. in Environmental Engineering, received the 2023 Innovative Design Award. This Award was established by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to recognize outstanding performance in senior Capstone Design, particularly to a student pursuing innovative design solutions and exceeding expectations in a way that elevates the work of others throughout the class.  

Two students were also presented prestigious awards on behalf of the McCormick School of Engineering. 

Grace Hochberg, who graduated with her B.S. in Civil Engineering, won the Alumni Award. This award is made to the graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding service to the McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, and to the community, and who also has worthy scholastic achievement. Hochberg has accepted a job at Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects in Chicago.  

Bill Yen, who graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in environmental engineering, was awarded the Ovid W. Eshbach Award. This award was established in 1948 by the first graduating class of the Technological Institute and named in honor of the first dean. The Eshbach Award is given for overall excellence in scholarship and leadership. Yen has also received the Segal Design Certificate and the Illinois Association of Environmental Professionals Scholarship. He will pursue his Ph.D. at Stanford University in the fall.