1998-1999
Students Honored at WPI with Crimson and Gray Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/May 11, 1999
Contact: WPI Media Relations, 508-831-5616
WORCESTER, Mass. - Crimson and Gray Awards were presented to 17 students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute this spring. The award recognizes dedication, commitment and unselfishness in the enrichment of student life at WPI. This year's honorees are:
- Linda Cappuccia, a 1998 graduate of WPI and an electrical
engineering major. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gennaro
Cappuccia of Norwalk, Conn., she has been a Senior Orientation
Leader and has instituted an all-female a cappella group at WPI,
Interstate 8, serving as the group's business manager. She has
been president of Alden Voices and a campus tour
guide.
- Jennifer Cobb, junior management engineering major and the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Cobb of Windham, Maine. A
three-year member of the LEAP (Leadership, Education And
Practice) group, she has co-chaired the annual LEAP Holiday Toy
Drive for children of the Rosebud Reservation in South
Dakota. Under her leadership, more than 500 items were collected
for this year's drive. She is a cheerleader and a member of the
Society of Women Engineers.
- Brock Ehnert, a junior management information major and the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Ehnert of Devils Lake, N.D. A three-year
member of LEAP, he has been treasurer of the Interfraternity
Council and member of Phi Gamma Delta and the Student Government
Association. He initiated a program, Major Fair, designed to help
high-school and middle-school students assess possible college
majors.
- Adam El-Khishin, a senior biotechnology major and the son
of Aly El-Khishin of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Co-chair of
the International Student Council, he has served as an ISC
mentor. He has served as secretary and president of the Muslim
Student Association and is a member of the Skull Society, an
honorary group. A pre-med student, he completed a summer
internship at the University of Massachusetts Medical
School.
- Sonja Farak, a junior biochemistry major and the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Farak of Portsmouth, R.I. A three-year member
of LEAP, she has served as chairperson for the LEAP recruiting
brochure and has worked with the Plumley Village Rainbow Child
Development Center project. She helped to organize an a cappella
concert for the benefit of the children's center and has been a
member of women's softball and basketball teams.
- Seth Flagg, a junior biology major and the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Paul Flagg of Hubbardston, Mass. A leader in several
organizations, he has been a member of the Campus Hearing Board,
Winter Carnival and Quadfest committees, the Science Fiction and
Medieval Arts Societies and LEAP. New member representative and
public relations chairperson for Tau Kappa Epsilon, he has been
pledge class president of Alpha Phi Omega, the national co-ed
service fraternity. His many volunteer efforts include tutoring
students at a local elementary school.
- Andreas Koeller, a graduate student in computer science and a
resident of Hagdeburg, Germany. A second-year doctoral student, he
has volunteered with the English as a Second Language Summer
Institute's Mini-Lecture Series for two years. A member of the
German Club and the International Student Council, he has worked
as a German language tutor in the ISC's Language
Café.
- Amber Miller, a junior civil engineering major and the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Randall Miller of Ellenville, N.Y.
A three-year member of LEAP, she has co-chaired the annual LEAP
Holiday Toy Drive to benefit children of the Rosebud Reservation
in South Dakota. She serves as captain of the women's track team
at WPI.
- Jeffrey Ouellette, a junior management information major
and the son of Jeffrey Ouellette of Hampton, N.H., and
Edith Ouellette of Londonderry, N.H. A leader in Student Life, he
has been a three-year member of LEAP. He has served as class
representative to the LEAP Advisory Board. A senator in the
Student Government Organization, he has been a campus tour guide,
a member of Alpha Phi Omega, the national co-ed service
fraternity, and has been selected Student Hall Director for the
coming year.
- Jennifer Reese, a senior chemistry major and the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Reese Jr. of Schenectady, N.Y. She
has served as Student Body President and has initiated several
events such as the Holiday Extravaganza Celebration. A member of
Phi Sigma Sigma, she has offered her time to numerous efforts from
New Student Orientation to faculty meetings.
- Nicole Roy, a junior mechanical engineering major and the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Roy of Cumberland, R.I. She
has been a member of LEAP and has volunteered to head the
Community Service Committee. She also has undertaken a challenging
project, the construction of a playground for the Plumley Village
Rainbow Child Care Center.
- Ali Serefli, a junior manufacturing engineering major and
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Selcuk Serefli of Istanbul,
Turkey. He has started the Dance Club and has initiated and
hosted get-togethers for World House residents. A mentor for the
International Student Council, he has been a member of
LEAP.
- Jennifer Shemowat, a junior civil engineering major and the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Shemowat of Boxborough,
Mass. A member of LEAP for three years, she originated the
LEAP newsletter and volunteered as editor and chairperson of the
Newsletter Committee.
- Rebecca Thibeault, a senior mechanical engineering major
and the daughter of Beatrice Thibeault of Ashland, N.H. She
developed and led the student orientation staff training program
and served as a senior orientation leader. Recipient of academic
scholarships, she has been a member of the Society of Women
Engineers, the Newman Club, the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers and the women's swim team. She has served as risk
manager in Alpha Gamma Delta.
- Richard "Chad" Tino, a senior mechanical engineering major
and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard V. Tino of Amherst,
N.H. Student Government Association treasurer and president of
Lambda Chi Alpha, he has been a member of National Student
Advisory and Executive committees, serving on the judicial
board. He helped start GAMML, Greeks Advocating Mature Management
of Life.
- Luz Andrea Vasquez, a junior electrical engineering major
and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fabio Vazquez of Worcester,
Mass. Treasurer of the International Student Council, she has
served as an ISC mentor and tutor. She teaches Latin dance at a
local high school and has performed at many international events
with the Hispanic Student Association.
- Frank Weber of Holden, Mass., a second-year graduate
student in mechanical engineering and an undergraduate alumnus of
WPI, he has been president of the Graduate Student Organization,
increasing participation, sponsoring activities and bringing
faculty and students together. He also assumed a committee
leadership role in the University's Strategic Planning
process.
WPI, an independent technological university founded in 1865, is renowned for its project-based curriculum. WPI was ranked among the top national universities in the 1999 edition of U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges Guide and was 18th in the Best College Values report.
