Over 280 undergraduate and graduate students were feted during the School of Engineering awards ceremony on April 19, 2010. The event, held at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, enfolded not only the award of merit scholarships to continuing undergraduate students, but also fellowship honors for top graduate students.

Dean of Engineering Mun Y. Choi welcomed the crowd of more than 500. In his remarks, he lauded the individual and corporate donors, whose generosity allows so many worthy students to continue their educations at UConn. He also recognized members of the Engineering Advisory Board, a number of outstanding faculty who recently garnered high profile honors, and the undergraduate and graduate students scholars.

Also sharing the podium was University Provost Peter Nicholls, who remarked that, as we gather to honor academic achievement and excellence, we are mindful to pause and thank the people who helped us to succeed along the way. He described the challenges facing UConn as the State continues to wrestle with financial woes. He noted that UConn has been asked to return $8 million during the 2010-11 fiscal year and $15 million for the 2011-12 fiscal year from funds already allocated to the university — even as UConn aspires to become one of the nation’s top 20 public universities. Dr. Nicholls also noted that in a year-long external audit of graduate programs across the University, three engineering programs were explicitly recognized for their national excellence.

Dressed to impress — with parents, donors and friends looking on proudly — the student scholars each crossed the stage in turn, shook hands with the School’s leadership and received their certificates.

Before the event commenced, attendees were serenaded by the award-winning female a capella group “the Chordials” and browsed among dozens of technical posters describing design solutions developed by graduating seniors to address authentic engineering challenges posed by commercial sponsors.

View the awards program here.