In collaboration, the Centers of Human Excellence held the annual Spring Student Expo on April 9. Special thanks to the Shields Center for Innovation team for taking the lead on the organization of the day. The Spring Student Expo is a celebration of student creativity, innovation, and achievement.  Students shared their work and experiences, highlighting their passions and accomplishments both in and out of the classroom.

 

A special thank you goes to Leslie LaRocca, Arlene Koellner, Maureen Oates, P'21, '24, '28, and Matt Aumiller for serving as our Expo judges. Their thoughtful engagement and support helped make the event a success. We are thrilled to recognize the following students who were awarded prizes for their outstanding projects:

  • Contemplative in Action: Cameron Berry ’25 (Leadership is Not Wanting a Position – Leadership Certificate)
    Shared thoughtful lessons learned and articulated how their learning informs future actions.

  • Creativity: Elias Bezzerides ’26 (Federal Duck Stamp)
    Produced imaginative and original work.

  • Joy Through Innovation: Colin Kurtz ’27 and Ted Hamelin ’27 (Hydrogen Fuel Cell)
    Demonstrated fun and passion through their work.

  • Joy Through Innovation: Rhodes Lee ’25 (Projectile Launcher)
    Demonstrated fun and passion through their work.

  • Open to Growth: Matthew Sullivan ’25 (Ranked Rock Paper Scissors)
    Was open to new ideas and understandings through the creation of their project.

  • Fun Factor: Robert Auclair ’28 (Tetanus Express Electric Go-Kart)
    Demonstrated joy and fun through their work.

  • The Connectors: Gustavo Bosques ’25 (A Word on the Human Race – DEI Certificate)
    Walked with those they served, empathized with project stakeholders, and put those on the margins first.

  • Academic Adaptation: Coleman Williams ’25 (Hyde Scholars 2025 Project)
    Adapted classroom concepts to real-world examples.

  • Persistent Producers: Declan Webb ’25 and Mateus Oliveira ’25 (Droideka)
    Showed resiliency, persistence, and new ideas in the face of challenges.

  • The Magis Award: Olivier Trevor ’26 (Recovery from Cambodian Inter-Generational Trauma)
    Awarded to the project that shows a high level of academic scholarship, excellence, and innovation.

Shields Challenge Winners:

  • 1st Place: Benjamin Ulrich ’28, Peter McMahon ’28, and Robert MacKerron ’28 (Revitalizing Oyster Reefs)
  • 2nd Place: Talin Patel ’27, Finn Dowd ’27, and Cooper Slayton ’26 (The EZ-3D-TC)
  • 3rd Place: Oliver Tulum ’26, Henry Sulce ’26, Mark Kocsis ’26, Logan Dinh ’26, and Samuel Commons ’28 (Water Desalination System)