Last Tuesday, Gamma Delta chapter, the WPI chapter of the national electrical engineering honor society Eta Kappa Nu inducted 19 new members into its fold. Eta Kappa Nu was founded in 1904 by Maurice L. Carr at the University of Illinois for electrical engineering students not just to stimulate and reward scholarship but to assist and encourage its members to grow professionally throughout their entire lives. Eta Kappa Nu has chapters in over half of all the engineering schools in the United States. Eta Kappa Nu invites into membership students in their junior year of study of electrical engineering who rank in the upper quarter of their class and senior year students who rank in the upper third of their class. History has shown that these are the students who later become leaders in the profession and in the community at large.
The 19 that were inducted have shown themselves to possess the three qualities necessary in an Eta Kappa Nu member: scholarship, character, and personality. It is our pleasure to welcome undergraduates Brian Arthur Greenlaw, Crissy Renee Montgomery, Emrah Diril, Eric Toledo, Govind Samant, John Pong, Kevin Michael Landrigan, Mankong Chowkwanyun, Michael J. Euell, Michael Shear, Rahul Bhan, Ross Borgeson, Sheng Yung Deng, Stephen Lei Nash-Webber, and Tenzin Jampe Lama. Inducted at the same time were graduate students James C. Kilian, Nina Silva Tjoa, Prashant V. Krishnamurthy, and Siddharth Gahault.
After the traditional ceremony that was attended by both parents and members, a dinner was held. After dinner the head of the WPI Electrical Engineering Department, Professor John Orr gave a talk titled "Why we are here today?" in which he challenged all of us to become leaders in whatever career field we choose. He cited some examples of WPI electrical engineering alum that have made their mark, stressing that leadership is not about giving orders but letting others know what can be achieved.
We wish the new inductees all the best and encourage them to help nurture the freshmen and sophomores. To the freshmen and sophomores, work hard and strive for the academic excellence that the WPI Electrical Engineering Department is well known for.
Just a reminder that every Friday at 11:45am, Eta Kappa Nu holds pizza lunches in AK 108. We feature a wide selection of piping hot Papa Gino's pizza. You get 2 slices of pizza and a can of soda for just $2. The goal of these lunches is to foster a sense of community within the electrical engineering department, not just amongst the students but the faculty and staff as well. So come on down to AK every Friday at 11:45 and join in the fun.