Meet the 2021 Outstanding Seniors

Posted on: April 14, 2021; Updated on: April 14, 2021
By CEC Communications Staff, communications@cec.sc.edu

Seventeen seniors from the College of Engineering and Computing were recognized with Outstanding Senior Awards this year. The award recipients were recommended by faculty members and selected based on their academic excellence, undergraduate research participation, active involvement in the college or university community and their contributions to the profession.

Students named Outstanding Seniors will be recognized during the University of South Carolina Awards Day Ceremony on April 15 at Colonial Life Arena.

"I have worked with Dr. Rekleitis in the Autonomous Field Robotics Lab for my whole time at the university, and that experience helps me feel ready to make a difference in robotics. My favorite project so far has been helping our underwater robot path-find around shipwrecks, but all of it has pushed my boundaries way beyond what I thought I could do." -James Johnson, Computer Engineering
"I have accepted a position in Cornell University's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy Combined Degree Program. I'll be moving to Ithaca, New York this summer to start my first lab rotation and then begin veterinary school in the fall! The program is 7-8 years, but after that I would love to be a professor, allowing me to teach, hold clinical duties, and do research." - Sydney Womack, Biomedical Engineering
"The one thing that I will miss most about the CEC and UofSC are the amazing and supportive people all around me! After graduation, I will be pursing my PhD in chemical engineering at Stanford University, starting Fall 2021." - Ashton Aleman, Chemical Engineering
"The coolest thing I've learned in the CEC is what I am capable of as a student and a person. The past four years have pushed me beyond what I would've ever thought I was capable of and showed me what potential I possess." - Caroline Evans, Mechanical Engineering
"Having been admitted to both Stanford and MIT for a mechanical engineering PhD, I have a difficult choice ahead of me for where I will go for graduate school. Either way, I know I have a long career of research to look forward to." - Chris Carter, Mechanical Engineering
"After graduation, I will be staying in Columbia and working as a Roadway Design Engineer for Holt Consulting Company. I have been an intern at Holt for the past two years and I am very excited to have the chance to work with them full-time. I will also be studying for and taking the PE Exam after graduation so that I can eventually become a professional engineer." - Sophie Curry, Civil Engineering
"The mentorship I received from professors and graduate students really made a difference in my collegiate career. I loved being a Supplemental Instructor for Dr. Caicedo’s Statics class and performing research with both undergraduates and graduates, leading me to be interested in pursuing a career in teaching and research while working in the industry." - Taylor Wyatt, Civil Engineering
"Over the past year, my team and I have had the opportunity to work alongside the wonderful employees of the Koger Center to develop an app that patrons can use to find their seats and learn more about the Koger Center. Being able to learn on my own and develop an app as a team has been the highlight of my senior year academically." - Warren Beagle, Computer Information Systems
"The EE lab curriculum has really helped me improve my problem solving skills and ability to collaborate effectively with others on projects. I also love that in our Senior Design class everything is made applicable to life after graduation. The career fairs hosted by the school are also great, I got one of my internships and my full time job through the university’s STEM career fair." - Amy Ballman, Electrical Engineering
"Biomedical engineering was no joke, but we bonded along the way. I distinctly remember some very late-night study sessions in Swearingen with friends. We would take over a classroom, eat snacks, and work through practice problems together on the chalk board the night before exams. As stressful as those nights could be, I'm really going to miss them." - Alex Stevens, Biomedical Engineering
"I feel the CEC has prepared me for this next chapter of my life through a challenging curriculum, individualized professional development, and staff that genuinely cares about student success both inside and out of the classroom. I am very grateful for my time here at UofSC and will miss it dearly. Forever to thee!" - Kaitlyn Cook, Chemical Engineering

The College of Engineering and Computing celebrates and congratulates all of our 2021 Outstanding Seniors listed below.

CEC Outstanding Seniors

Ashton M. Aleman, Chemical Engineering
Warren Beagle, Computer Information Systems
Christopher Carter, Mechanical Engineering
Sophie Curry, Civil Engineering
Hunter Damron, Computer Science
Ryan Hoeler, Aerospace Engineering
James Johnson, Computer Engineering
Noah Mansfield, Electrical Engineering
Alexandra Stevens, Biomedical Engineering
Carly Yates, Integrated Information Technology

South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers Outstanding Seniors

Amy Ballman, Electrical Engineering
Kaitlyn M. Cook, Chemical Engineering
Caroline Evans, Mechanical Engineering
Ana Victoria Kock, Aerospace Engineering
Niharika Pandala, Computer Engineering
Sydney Womack, Biomedical Engineering
Taylor Wyatt, Civil Engineering

College of Engineering and Computing