Category: Students

The Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering would like to congratulate our fall graduates and raise you up for all to see. We are proud of you and want to wish you the best of luck in your next chapter.

Presenting our fall 2021 graduates:

Cole Arntsen

Cole will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He will continue with his education by pursuing an MS in civil engineering at Michigan Tech. Cole will miss the beautiful fall colors of the surrounding Houghton County. He is thankful to Michigan Tech for the family environment that surrounds the student body and how welcoming and willing to help everyone is. Cole would like to recognize Dr. Kris Mattila for making a difference to him while at Tech.

Trent Ballor

Trent is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will pursue a career in Transportation Engineering at the Michigan Department of Transportation. Trent will miss all of the friends he has made while at Michigan Tech and also the beautiful area. He is thankful to Tech for providing him with an excellent education to equip him for his career. Trent would like to recognize his family and friends that have supported him throughout his college career.

Sarah Barry

Sarah will graduate with a bachelor’s in environmental engineering. After graduation, she will travel to Iceland as part of the Green Program to learn about sustainable solutions which can be applied to environmental engineering and complete her capstone project. Afterward, she will continue her career development by taking the FE exam. Sarah will miss all the great friends and activities at Michigan Tech and the beautiful area we have here in the Keweenaw. She will also miss Tech hockey because she enjoyed going to all the games to support the Huskies! Sarah is thankful for the hands-on experience through labs and continuous educational support offered at Michigan Tech by the faculty and students. She would like to recognize her parents that have supported her throughout her education and would not have succeeded without their encouragement.

Everhett Biland

Everhett is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will begin a full-time position as a Project Engineer with Swinerton Builders in Denver, CO. He will also start his service in the Wyoming Army National Guard as an Engineer Officer, and will be pursuing an online master’s degree in structural engineering through Michigan Tech. Everhett says he will miss the spontaneous adventures in the Keweenaw, Michigan Tech’s awesome Army ROTC program, and the great bars downtown. He is thankful for all the friends he made, the professors in the CEGE Department who challenged him every day, and the semi-annual career fairs that opened up a lot of career opportunities. When asked if he would like to recognize someone who has made a difference to him at Tech, he says “Dr. Tess Ahlborn for being a phenomenal professor and opening my eyes to pursuing my education and MAJ Daniel Gwosch for encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone.”

Trevor Brandt

Trevor will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Trevor will begin his career at Soils & Structures as a Geotechnical EIT after graduation. He says he will miss attending hockey games with his friends and is thankful to Michigan Tech for all the opportunities he was given to pursue his different interests, both academically and otherwise. Trevor would like to recognize Chris Wojick who was his enterprise advisor for several semesters and helped him start thinking about problems more thoroughly.

Katelyn Burch

Katelyn is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She will be moving to Colorado Springs to work for GE Johnson as a project engineer for their earthworks department after graduation. Katelyn says she will miss the broomball season at Tech – “It was a large part of my life here from my 2nd year onward and the memories that I made from it with being out shoveling rinks during a blizzard, to being able to be a part of ball drop a few times, and the many friends I made, it is something that I’ll truly miss.” She says she is thankful for all the opportunities she has had at Tech with being able to grow as a leader and work with people in the community, she has learned so much from her time here and the lessons are invaluable.

Josh Cain

Josh will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he intends to return home to Traverse City and work for one of the engineering firms he was able to connect with there. Josh is thankful for the amazing education he received at Michigan Tech and is confident the skills he learned here will help him succeed in his career.

Jay Czerniak

Jay is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He plans to return to Tech to pursue an MBA and will work full-time as a Project Manager in the summer with Miron Construction. Jay will miss the community and comradery between students- in particular, the student community at St. Al’s. He is thankful to Tech for giving him the understanding that sometimes you have to work for anything that is worth getting. Jay says “I would like to thank Dr. Mattila. He was instrumental in my perseverance in completing my studies and helped me to believe in my own skills. I would also thank Fr. Ben Hasse, who helped me through a few tough patches and helped me meet some of my best friends.”

Jessica Daignault

Jessica is graduating with a Ph.D. in civil engineering. She is currently at Montana Technological University as a faculty member in the Civil Engineering Department and is also doing consulting work for OHM Advisors part-time. Jessica says she will miss the proximity to pure and endless natural beauty, saying “the Keweenaw is such a special place to call home.” Jessica states “Michigan Tech has played a fundamental role in my life story from high school through graduate school. The connections made and opportunities presented have paved the way to a vibrant career, and I will be forever thankful for that! I’d like to recognize the faculty members who instructed me as an undergraduate student and continued to mentor me when I returned to MTU for graduate school. It was such a special experience to reconnect with so many of you!”

Spencer Davis

Spencer will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. He has accepted a full-time job for a consulting firm in Milwaukee focusing on wastewater treatment. Spencer says he will miss the close proximity to so many great natural places and beautiful things to see. He says he is thankful to Michigan Tech for all the opportunities and support for obtaining the technical skills and developing a professional background to pursue a career in the field of his choice. Also for the amazing friends and people he has had the opportunity to meet.

David Disney

David is graduating with a bachelor’s in environmental engineering. After graduation, he plans on doing consulting work. David says he will miss the unique student culture and at Michigan Tech and is thankful for Tech keeping the sidewalks clear in the winter. He would like to recognize the great staff and professors in the Environmental Engineering Department.

Camila Dul

Camila is graduating with a master’s degree in environmental engineering. After graduation, she will be working for OHM Advisors as an Engineer for the Environmental Water Resources Group. Camila says she will miss the views from campus and is thankful for how welcoming everyone is on campus and the amount of encouragement she received from her professors.

John Dunleavy

John will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in construction management. He will pursue a career in the construction field after graduation. John will miss snowmobiling with his friends and is thankful for the opportunities experienced with the friends he has made while at Tech.

Mason Dyke

Mason is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will be working at Fleis and Vandenbrink in Grand Rapids and as an Army National Guard Engineering Officer. Mason will miss the skiing and mountain biking at Michigan Tech. He would like to recognize Jonathan Fox as someone who made a difference to him during his time at Tech.

Conor Flaherty

Connor will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in construction management. He plans to work after graduation.

David Goldfarb

David will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduating, he will move to Colorado to work with HDR. David says he will miss all the beauty he is surrounded with, all the trails, hikes, waterfalls, views, and most of all he will miss “Mama Superior”. He is thankful to Michigan Tech for forcing him to learn how to climb over constant hurdles and adversity to achieve his goals. David says “I’ve had a lot of professors and people at Tech who made my journey a lot easier and enjoyable, but I know I could not have gotten this far and graduated without my advisor Julie Ross, she’s the best advisor at Michigan Tech and truly cares for everyone’s success.”

Leah Goldman

Leah is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. She will begin working for Westwood as a graduate civil engineer on the Renewable Energy team after graduation. Leah says she will miss the snow and the great people at Michigan Tech. Leah is thankful to Tech because although the classes are hard, they allow for you to really expand your knowledge and take a lot away from each class, and people in the industry know how hard students work here.

Thomas Gunst

Thomas will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will be starting a career in the civil engineering field and pursuing his private pilot’s license. Thomas says he will miss the campus, surrounding area, and local ice rinks.

Maureen Hennenfent

Maureen will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. She will be pursuing a career in water engineering after graduation. Maureen will miss the trips to Lake Superior and the fall colors and is thankful for the incredible people Tech has brought into her life, saying “Tech has provided me with friendships that will last a lifetime. The professors in the environmental engineering department have been so helpful to me over the years. They are extremely knowledgeable about their fields of study and truly care about their students.”

Ben Holland

Ben is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will continue at Michigan Tech as an accelerated master’s student. Something Ben says he will miss after graduation is running for the Michigan Tech cross country team. He says he is thankful for all of the industry applicable experience in class and would like to recognize Melanie Kueber-Watkins and Brian Barkdoll for making a difference to him while at Tech. Ben says “The civil environmental program is awesome!”

Julia Jenaway

Julia will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She will be continuing at Michigan Tech for another two semesters to earn her master’s degree in structural engineering. Julia says she will miss the snow and having the convenience of a ski hill five minutes from campus and that she is thankful to Michigan Tech for a great education.

Frederick Jones

Fred is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will be moving to Denver to work for Baker Concrete Construction. Fred says he will miss the unique experience you get every day, just by being here and that he is thankful to Michigan Tech for helping him grow up and facilitate positive change in his life. When asked if he would like to recognize someone who made a difference to him while at Tech, he says “Brian Barkdoll, for having confidence in me, being a positive mentor, and for being one of the most caring teachers I’ve ever had. The entire Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering department deserve a huge thanks. Never once did I have a faculty member from our department that wasn’t understanding, and they always had my learning as a top priority. Truly enjoyed learning from all of the Civil and Environmental courses I took.
Also, our advisor, Julie, is one of the great blessings to this university. She truly helped me so much when things seemed bleak, and graduation seemed so far. I truly believe that without her, I wouldn’t be graduating for another year. She is a true example that not all hero’s wear capes.”

Ethan Lang

Ethan is graduating with his bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. Ethan will miss doing homework while ice fishing and would like to recognize his mom, dad, and stepdad for making his college possible and debt-free.

Katherine Lawson

Katerine will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. After graduation, she will be working as a staff engineer at G2 Consulting Group in Ann Arbor.

Carleigh Lenard

Carleigh is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. She plans to visit friends and family after graduation while continuing the job hunt. Carleigh says she will miss playing in the pep band and is thankful to Tech for providing her with opportunities going far beyond education. She has gotten to intern at really interesting companies, work on important research and have some fun with many student organizations.

Owen Mattila

Owen will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He will be continuing on to attend graduate school at Michigan Tech for a master’s degree in civil engineering. Owen says “I would like to recognize my dad (Dr. Kris Mattila) for all your support and guidance throughout college. It was great to be able to stay close to home for college and not many people can say they’ve had their dad as a professor. As I’ve advanced through college I have grown as a person and as someone who has developed an engineering mindset. I will be a better engineer because of you, and I appreciate that. Thanks for all you do!”

Mihir Mehendale

Mihir will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will work full-time with JT Engineering in Madison, WI and would late like to pursue an MS degree in civil engineering.

Isaac Pantti

Isaac is graduating with a master’s degree in civil engineering. He plans on being a structural designer of buildings after graduation. Isaac says he will miss the laid-back atmosphere of his graduate classes and he is thankful to the helpful faculty in the CEGE Department as well as the ability to be a TA. Isaac says “Professor Bulleit did a lot to make sure we did proper graduate quality work, and that led to a total transformation in how I present my work. Michigan Tech has been really good to me. I am really thankful for the supportive structural engineering professors I had. I am thankful to Dr. You for having lab assistant and TA work available. I am happy to have met all the different people here from around the world. I am definitely ready to move on, but I will never forget about the university, and should I want to continue my education, I will always look back here.”

Jacob Paquet

Jacob will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he will continue work with GEI Consultants out of Marquette. Jacob says he will miss all of his friends and is thankful to Michigan Tech for preparing him for the workforce.

Theresa Passe

Theresa is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. She will continue on to obtain her master’s degree at Michigan Tech after graduation. She would like to recognize Dr. Jennifer Becker as someone who has made a difference to her during her time at Michigan Tech. Theresa says she will miss Broomball and Lake Superior and is thankful to Michigan Tech for the awesome faculty. She says she loved being a Husky!

Adam Pulter

Adam is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. After graduation, he will use the knowledge and skills gained from Michigan Tech during his first job in his desired field. Adam will miss all the snow and winter sports and is thankful to Tech for teaching him the value of hard work.

Christopher Reitz

Christopher will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He has accepted an offer from Abonmarche Consultants as a Staff Engineer and will begin this after graduation. Christopher will miss the Keweenaw’s beautiful scenery and is thankful to Tech for challenging him to learn and better himself so he can be prepared to take on professional responsibilities. He would like to recognize Dr. Kris Mattila as someone who made a difference during his time at Michigan Tech. Chris says “When I look back on some of the challenges I’ve faced throughout my time here, I’m proud of myself for working to get through them. These challenges have allowed me to learn and prepare for my professional career.”

Amber Ronsman

Amber is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, she will be working full-time for Miron Construction as a Project Manager out of the Green Bay office. Amber will miss the community that Tech shares and the snow (just a little). She is thankful for the opportunities that Tech has provided, from the career fair, student organizations, and conferences – there is no lack of opportunities when attending Tech. She says “I would like to recognize my advisor, Julie Ross for not only the work she has put in to help me but the entire department. She is so willing to walk you through anything and understands that it’s not always easy. We are so lucky to have her!”

Chase Smith

Chas will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He will begin work as a civil engineer with UP Engineers and Architects after graduating. Chase says he will miss his friends and is thankful to Tech for getting him a degree. He would like to recognize Nick Allsop as someone who made a difference during his time at Michigan Tech.

Anthony Vang

Anthony will graduate with a bachelor’s in civil engineering. After graduation, he will become a 2nd LT in the Air Force and train as an RPA Pilot. Anthony will miss Winter Carnival and is thankful for the experience to make mistakes and learn a lot from them. He would like to recognize the AFROTC program at Tech as making a difference to him while at Tech. Anthony says “I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Michigan Tech and its community. I have definitely grown a lot from my freshmen year and I feel confident and prepared to take the next step in my life. I am also getting married on Dec 12th!”

Hossam Yaqoub

Hoss is graduating with a master’s in civil engineering making him the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering’s first online MSCE graduate! He will continue on at MTU to achieve more in-depth exploration for his favorite science of civil engineering by pursuing his Ph.D. He says “The online Master’s program sets my eagerness to explore new aspects of structural design and civil engineering. It gave me the opportunity to gain and improve some skills and increased my consciousness about engineering in general. In these hard times due to COVID, a lot of effort was conducted mutually with a lot of Jogging, reading, classical music and boxing in my free time that lead my desire to get better opportunities to enhance my technical capabilities and scientific bases. This was the major lead to graduate from the MSCE online program in structural engineering in Fall 2021. With great passion, I was able to complete the program in two years.”

Graduates Not Pictured Above