Enterprise Awards

Student awards are open only to students currently enrolled in the Enterprise Program. Eligible individuals may be nominated for more than one category but can only receive one award in a given year. Past recipients are not eligible to receive awards for two years. (Example: a 2018 recipient is eligible again in 2020). Please see the award descriptions for additional award- specific eligibility criteria.

Nominators should prepare a letter of nomination, highlighting specific and relevant examples that support the given award criteria. Nomination letters must be no more than two single-spaced pages.

Nominators can collect up to three letters of support from others to strengthen their nomination. Support letters should be no longer than two single-spaced pages each.

Nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 1, 2024. Nominations received after the deadline will not be considered.

An awards committee comprised of faculty and staff involved in the Enterprise Program will review the nominations, and winners will be selected based on how well the nomination supports the given award criteria.

Award recipients will receive a framed award certificate, lapel pin, and $100 cash prize (sponsors will receive a University memento in lieu of cash). All nominees will be recognized, and awards will be presented at the conclusion of the 2024 Design Expo on Tuesday April 16, 2024, beginning at 3:30pm in the Rozsa Center for Performing Arts.

• Open to students currently enrolled in, and who hold an official leadership position within, their enterprise
• Inspires and motivates others in support of their enterprise goals and objectives
• Seeks opportunities to mentor others in the enterprise
• Leads by example and demonstrates personal accountability for meeting enterprise goals
• Responds well under pressure

• Open to students currently enrolled in Enterprise who joined an enterprise in the current academic year
• Has successfully integrated into the enterprise’s culture and organizational structure
• Shows initiative by actively seeking out tasks and project work
• Has made meaningful contributions to the team’s goals and objectives in a short time

• Open to any student who is currently enrolled in Enterprise
• Actively spearheads an innovation that improves their enterprise in some way – operational efficiency, a technical solution, an organizational improvement, etc.
• Engages in collaborative problem solving as a member of their enterprise
• Thinks “outside the box”

• Open to faculty and staff who serve as official advisors of enterprises (e.g. instructors of ENT project courses) and nominated by a student from their enterprise
• Creates a positive and motivating environment within the enterprise
• Actively seeks to foster student leadership and ownership within their enterprise
• Shows a personal commitment to student learning, development, and success
• Serves as a mentor or coach – “guides instructs”
• Demonstrates a balanced advising approach – actively engaged, but does not micromanage

• Open to any individual(s) who serve(s) as an external sponsor of enterprise projects, nominated by an enterprise
• Provides regular and active engagement with the enterprise in support of the sponsored project(s)
• Shows a personal commitment to student education and the enterprise’s success
• Demonstrates a balanced approach as a sponsor – the ability to serve as both a project client/stakeholder as well as a professional mentor

• Open to any faculty, staff, or stakeholder external to an enterprise and who is NOT the team’s primary advisor or project sponsor, nominated by an enterprise
• Someone who helped your team accomplish a goal, work through a particular challenge, learn more about a specific topic or technology, etc.
• This individual’s support was perceived by your team as going “above and beyond” their normal responsibilities
• This individual’s involvement and support had a meaningful impact on your enterprise’s success and learning

• Open to instructors of ENT course modules taught in the past three academic semesters
• Demonstrates effective teaching in support of student learning
• Connects the learning in their module with enterprise project work and/or with knowledge and skills important for early career success
• Inspired or motivated you to learn more about the topics covered in their module

Student Awards

Rookie Award:

Shelby Wills, Strategic Education through Naval Systems Experiences (SENSE)

Innovative Solutions:

Mason Kennedy, Consumer Product Manufacturing

Outstanding Enterprise Leadership:

Elizabeth Donoghue, Strategic Education through Naval Systems Experiences (SENSE)

Faculty/Staff Awards

Behind the Scenes Award:

Jon Herlevich, Consumer Product Manufacturing

Outstanding Enterprise Advisor Award:

Dr. Timothy Havens, Strategic Education through Naval Systems Experiences (SENSE)

Outstanding Enterprise Sponsor Award:

SussexIM Team, CertainTeed Team, and ORG CHEM Group - Consumer Products Manufacturing Enterprise

Student Awards

Rookie Award: Brian Geiger, Multiplanetary Innovation Enterprise
Innovative Solutions: Pete LaMantia, IT Oxygen
Outstanding Enterprise Leadership: Brooke Bates, Consumer Product Manufacturing

Faculty/Staff/Sponsor Awards

Behind the Scenes Award: Tania Demonte Gonzalez, PhD Student Researcher, Mechanical Engineering - Engineering Mechanics

Outstanding Enterprise Advisor: Dr. Tony Rogers, Associate Professor and Faculty Advisor, Consumer Product Manufacturing, Chemical Engineering

Student Awards

Rookie Award: Jack Block, CFO - Supermileage Systems Enterprise
Innovative Solutions: Cory Rorick, Alternative Energy Enterprise
Outstanding Enterprise Leadership: Andy Lambert, CEO - Supermileage Systems Enterprise and Daniel Prada, Spark Ignition (SI)
Team Lead: Clean Snowmobile Enterprise

Faculty/Staff/Sponsor Awards

Behind the Scenes Award: Kelly Steelman, Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Dept. of Cognitive and Learning Sciences, nominated by Built World Enterprise.

Student Awards

Outstanding Leadership: Allysa Meinburg, Consumer Product Manufacturing

Rookie Award: Bryce Traver, Alternative Energy Enterprise

Innovative Solutions: Travis Wavrunek, Alternative Energy Enterprise

Industry/Sponsor Relations: Jordan Woldt, Blue Marble Security/Oshkosh Baja Suspension Team

Faculty/Staff/Sponsor Awards

Outstanding Enterprise Advisor: Dr. Tony Rogers, Consumer Product Manufacturing

Outstanding Enterprise Sponsor: Michael Bunge, Libbey Inc.

Behind the Scenes: Steven Lehmann, Biomedical Engineering

Student Awards

Outstanding Leadership: Oliver Schihl, Advanced Metalworks Enterprise
Rookie Award: Troy Maust, Aerospace Enterprise
Innovative Solutions: Paul Kamps, Alternative Energy Enterprise
Industry/Sponsor Relations: Romana Carden, Aerospace Enterprise

Faculty/Staff/Sponsor Awards

Outstanding Enterprise Advisor: Jay Meldrum, Alternative Energy Enterprise
Behind the Scenes: Dr. Jennifer Becker, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering

Student Awards

Outstanding Leadership: Tyler Miller, Supermileage Systems
Rookie Award: Ian Johnson, Advanced Metalworks Enterprise
Innovative Solutions: Rebecca Phipps, Consumer Product Manufacturing
Industry/Sponsor Relations: Team Oshkosh, Blue Marble Security 

Faculty/Staff/Sponsor Awards

Outstanding Enterprise Advisor: Tony Rogers, Consumer Product Manufacturing
Outstanding Sponsor: David Blondheim, Mercury Marine
Behind the Scenes: Jon Lund, Machine Shop Attendant, Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics