October 20, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Patricia McDaniel 865/546-4578
Orlando, Florida, was the site of the 99 th annual Convention of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society. Florida Alpha and Delta, the collegiate chapters at the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida, hosted the event. Nearly 350 engineering students from 225 collegiate chapters received leadership and management training and then practiced their skills in conducting the business of the Convention, held this year on October 7-9. More than 475 members of Tau Beta Pi were on hand for this gathering of talented engineers.
The growth of the Association is a testament to the steady and enthusiastic 119-year involvement of students in the world’s largest engineering society. Awards to outstanding members and chapters were presented.
Jill S. Tietjen, P.E., Virginia Alpha ’76, independent engineering consultant, was recognized as Tau Beta Pi’s 2004 Distinguished Alumna.
The R.C. Matthews Outstanding Chapter Award for 2003-04, the top honor to a campus group, went to Wyoming Alpha at the University of Wyoming, with honorable mention to California Alpha at the University of California, Berkeley, Iowa Alpha at Iowa State University, and Vermont Beta at Norwich University.
The R.H. Nagel Most Improved Chapter Award for 2003-04 was presented to California Sigma at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Both the Matthews and Nagel awards are named for former secretary-treasurers of the Association.
Dr. Richard J. Smith, Iowa Alpha ’69, chief advisor to the Iowa Alpha Chapter and professor emeritus of agricultural and biosystems engineering and of mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, was recognized as Tau Beta Pi’s 2004 National Outstanding Advisor.
The Laureate program recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding expertise outside the field of engineering. Matthew C. Rodrigue, Maine Alpha ’04, selected for his diverse achievements, was honored as the Association’s 2004 Laureate, receiving a $2,500 cash award and a commemorative plaque.
Twenty-nine scholarships of $500 (totaling $14,500) were presented for sustained excellent performance in membership and project activities to the following chapters: California Alpha (University of California, Berkeley); District of Columbia Alpha (Howard University); Florida Alpha (University of Florida); Iowa Alpha (Iowa State University); Louisiana Gamma (Louisiana Tech University); Maryland Beta (University of Maryland) – two for $1,000; Michigan Gamma (University of Michigan); Michigan Epsilon (Wayne State University); Michigan Theta (Oakland University); Michigan Iota (University of Michigan-Dearborn) – two for $1,000; Nevada Beta (University of Nevada, Las Vegas); New York Iota (Cooper Union School of Engineering); New York Kappa (University of Rochester); Ohio Beta (University of Cincinnati); Ohio Iota (Ohio Northern University) – two for $1,000; Ohio Nu (Cedarville University); Oregon Gamma (University of Portland); Pennsylvania Epsilon (Lafayette College); South Carolina Alpha (Clemson University); South Dakota Alpha (South Dakota School of Mines & Technology) – two for $1,000; Tennessee Alpha (University of Tennessee); Vermont Beta (Norwich University) – two for $1,000; and Wyoming Alpha (University of Wyoming) – two for $1,000.
The University of California, Riverside, was awarded a charter to establish a Tau Beta Pi chapter.
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