The Steiner award dates back to 1948 when former students of Rev. Thomas A. “Pops” Steiner, dean of the College of Engineering, established the memorial prize. Recipients are nominated by their departments and selected for dedication to their fields of study, outstanding leadership abilities, and commitment to the values of the University. They are exciting, creative, and well-balanced individuals who strive to achieve at professional and personal levels. This year’s recipients were:

Robert Armstrong Jr. A native of Hockessin, Del., Armstrong graduated with a degree in electrical engineering with a grade-point average of 3.96. Although his studies kept him busy, he filled his “free time” with a variety of academic and service activities: For three years he served as a peer mentor for first-year engineering students. He also worked as a campaign coordinator for Teach America, recruiting high-potential students to dedicate two years after graduation to teach in low-income areas in the United States. Armstrong was also a member of the Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Committee and an officer for Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society. He served as a member of the Joint Engineering Council, the College of Engineering Honesty Committee, and hospitality chair of the executive committee for Junior Parents’ Weekend.

Lynsay Bensman According to her professors and classmates in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Bensman was a first-rate scholar who wanted to understand everything about a subject. She was a member of Tau Beta Pi, the Notre Dame Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. She also served as a peer mentor for first-year engineering students, as an undergraduate research assistant, and a resident assistant in Pangborn Hall. Bensman was actively involved in dorm activities, serving as liturgical commissioner and spirit week commissioner, and she was a member of the women’s soccer team. She is a resident of Toledo, Ohio.

Andrew Downard An outstanding student in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Downard has represented the University as a varsity cheerleader and contributed to the local community as the leader of a tutoring program. In addition to co-authoring a state grant application to fund the development of the Center for Microfluidics and Medical Diagnostics, he was a member of Tau Beta Pi and a contributing reporter for the student-run engineering publication,Technical Review. Plans for the future include completing his fifth year as an MBA student at Notre Dame. Downard is a native of Clarks Summit, Penn.

John Mathieson III Characterized by faculty in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering as bright, good-humored, and hard-working, this Clarksville, Md., native carried one of the highest grade-point averages in aerospace engineering courses, even while having other significant demands made upon his time. Mathieson was a member of the varsity hockey team; Tau Beta Pi; Sigma Gamma Tau, the aerospace engineering honor society; and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He served as a volunteer coordinator for Christmas in April and camp counselor at the Notre Dame Ice Hockey Camp. He also spent two summers as an intern at General Electric Aircraft Engines and Swales Aerospace, respectively. For fun he played guitar in a band that performed regularly at on-campus venues such as Legends and the LaFortune Center.

Brianne McNicholas With a 3.84 grade-point average, McNicholas has distinguished herself inside and outside of the Department of Electrical Engineering. She has served as a peer mentor, a grader, and a hall steward. She has also worked as a research assistant in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. This Canton, Mich., native chaired a number of activities, including the career fair, which is part of the annual Engineering Industry Day, and served on the London Student Advisory Council. She has tutored grade-school students in math and English and taught science experiments. McNicholas has also participated in the LED Traffic Light Study, where her responsibility included contacting city engineers in Indiana and Michigan. She is a member of the Joint Engineering council, the SWE, and the student chapter of the IEEE. McNicholas also serves as corresponding secretary for Eta Kappa Nu, the electrical engineering honor society, and is a member of Tau Beta Pi.

Regis Rogers With a 3.942 grade-point average, this Tyler, Minn., native and computer science and engineering student was on the Dean’s list each semester. Rogers also served as resident assistant in Kennan Hall, leading the dorm community in all aspects of academic, spiritual, and social life. When he wasn’t working as an intern in the General Electric Information Management Leadership Program, he worked as an undergraduate research assistant in three different departments within the College of Engineering. His work within these research laboratories ranged from refining the data collection process for a biometrics research project to designing a micro-scale fluid mechanics experiment. Rogers also volunteered in the Engineering Projects in Community Service program (the Toys for Handicapped Children Redesign Project), participated in the Appalachia Service Seminar, and worked with Circle K, a service organization.

Copyright 2004. University of Notre Dame.