24 graduates inducted during first ceremony since 2019
After two years of postponements due to the pandemic, the College of Engineering has celebrated 24 alumni who have contributed to the profession, advanced their careers, and enhanced the lives of others.
The 2022 College of Engineering Alumni Awards were held on Saturday, April 23, in Atlanta. The inductees were originally scheduled to be honored in the spring of 2020.
Each year, the College’s eight schools nominate graduates in three categories. The Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni includes rising stars who have distinguished themselves in the early stages of the career. Members of the Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni are still active in their careers and have already made significant contributions to the profession, field, Institute, or society at large. The Engineering Hall of Fame celebrates alumni for their lifelong achievements.
This year’s honorees included CEOs, non-profit business leaders, an engineer who helped expand Atlanta’s MARTA system, and many more. The group also included Ronald Yancey, Georgia Tech’s first Black graduate, and his industrial engineering classmate Bo Godbold, who established statues on campus of Yancey and the first Black students who enrolled Georgia Tech in 1961.
The ceremony also honored philanthropists Bill and Penny George with the Dean’s Appreciation Award. The Dean’s Impact Award was given to Samantha Becker and Shannon Evanchec. The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering graduates are the co-founders of TruePani, a company that provides accessible educational resources to the public about reducing lead exposure in drinking water.
Ronald Yancey earned his electrical engineering degree in 1965.
The ceremony was hosted by Raheem Beyah, dean of the College and Southern Company Chair. He was joined by Wonya Lucas, a graduate of the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial Engineering and CEO and president of Crown Media Family Networks, as well as Sebastián Negrón, a Dean’s Scholar and first-year student in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Engineering Hall of Fame
David L. Bailey (B.I.E. ‘69)
Jennifer P. Bailey (B.Cer.E.'70; M.S.Cer.E. ‘71)
Dwight H. Evans (B.C.E. ’70; M.S.Env.E. ‘73)
David Flanagan (B.I.E. ‘76)
Bo Godbold (B.I.E. ‘65)
James G. Pope (B.E.E. '65)
Agustin A. Ramirez (B.A.E. ’68; M.S.A.E. ‘69)
Robert M. Torras, Sr. (posthumously) (B.I.E. ‘55; B.I.M. ‘60)
Roland M. Toups (B.M.E. ‘60, M.S.M.E. ‘62)
Carolyn (Lyn) D. Wylder (B.C.E. ’75; M.S.C.E. ‘78)
Ronald L. Yancey (B.E.E. ’65)
The Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni
Patrick T. Biltgen (B.A.E. ‘03, M.S.A.E. ‘04, Ph.D. A.E. ‘07)
Alexia B. Borden (B.I.E. ‘01)
Christopher E. Brazell (B.C.E. ‘01, M.S.C.E. ‘04)
Keith Hearon (B.M.S.E. ‘09)
Garrett Langley (B.E.E. ‘09)
Chip Wade (B.M.E. ‘06)
The Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni
Ashlee Townsend Cribb (B.Ch.E. ‘87)
Dennis M. Frendahl (B.I.E. ‘83)
John Axalla Godbold (B.A.E. ‘91)
Calvin Mackie (B.M.E. ‘90, M.S.M.E ‘92, Ph.D.M.E. ‘96)
Emmy Montanye (B.C.E. ‘82)
Angela Gill Nelms (B.B.M.E. ‘07)
Carmel Ortiz (B.E.E. ‘89)
Dean's Appreciation Award
Bill and Penny George
Dean's Impact Award
Samantha Becker and Shannon Evanchec for TruePani, Inc.
Bill and Penny George receive the Dean's Appreciation Award.
Hall of Famer Bo Goldbold (second from right) and his son, John (second from left, Young Alumni), were both inducted.