2026 awards honor AE students, faculty and staff

AIAA Teacher of the Year 
 Joseph Gonzalez

Staff Member of the Year 
Siggi Schroth

Staff Member of the Year
 David Attig

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics  Scholastic Achievement Award, awarded to the senior graduating with the highest GPA 

Benjamin Folgers, Dixon, Illinois

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics  Scholastic Achievement Award, awarded to the senior graduating with the highest GPA

Devansh Patel, Rochelle, Illinois

H. Everett Sutter Passion for Flying Scholarship, presented to a junior-level
Aerospace Engineering student 
who exhibits a passion for flying
Mihir Venkatakrishnan, Hoffman Estates, Illinois

H.S. Stillwell Problem Solving Scholarship was established by a generous alumnus as a tribute to H.S. Stillwell and the role he played as a mentor to students. It is given to a junior-level or first-semester senior majoring in aerospace engineering who exhibits exemplary
problem-solving skills 

Ryan Anthony Verrette,
Gilroy, California

H.S. Stillwell Leadership Award, presented to the undergraduate who exemplifies outstanding leadership qualities by participation in departmental extracurricular activities

Niharika Navin,
Bengaluru, India

H.S. Stillwell Memorial Scholarship – awarded to an aerospace engineering student 

Jason H. Nichols,
Plymouth, Illinois

Robert W. McCloy Memorial Award, presented to a junior or first-semester senior student in recognition of outstanding academic performance

Emily Grzyb, Chicago, Illinois

Lee H. Sentman Memorial Scholarship, presented to an aerospace engineering student in recognition of excellent
academic performance 

Deividas Bilevicius, 
Darien, Illinois

Michael W. Miller Aerospace Engineering Innovation Award, was established to promote entrepreneurial ideas in the area of aerospace innovation

Aaliyah Gaffey, Sterling, Illinois

Roger A. Strehlow Memorial Award, presented to an undergraduate student in recognition of outstanding academic performance 

Alana Falter, New York, New York

Robert Lee Chandler, BS ’54, and Carole Leslie Chandler Memorial Scholarship, is presented to an undergraduate student in recognition of outstanding academic performance

Annalise Goodman,
Mount Prospect, Illinois

Robert Lee Chandler, BS ’54, and Carole Leslie
 Chandler Memorial Scholarship,
is presented to an undergraduate student in recognition of outstanding academic performance 
Ryan Souka, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Lawrence Bergman
Undergraduate Research Award

is given in recognition 
for outstanding
undergraduate research

Conan Zhang, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Scott R. White Memorial Scholarship

Sidney Lewensohn, Glencoe, Illinois

Kenneth Lee Herrick Memorial Award, given to
an AE graduate student based on

 outstanding academic
and research performance in the AE department
Ivan Wu

Harry H. and Lois G. Hilton Fellowship, established to provide support 
for graduate students 
with a preference to those who study aeroelasticity
Aadit Kolar

The Preston A. Henne Aerodynamics Fellowship, established to fund a graduate student in the area of aerodynamics
Julia Williams