Recently marrying Tom Williams brought Madison Williams to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he is assigned to the United States Air Force.
“We tried to live a long distance from each other for a while before moving to Grand Forks,” she says.
She described Grand Forks as about as facing the Adirondack Mountains as you can get.
” It is flat. There are no trees or trails. Pretty much the only outdoor activities the locals do there are hunting and fishing,” she added. “I fish, but I am not a hunter. I just wanted a way to stay connected outdoors, so I decided to take a kayak.
Photo submitted by Tom Conroy
Williams said she thought about taking a long kayak trip on the Red River and noticed it spilled into Lake Winnipeg.
“I started talking to people in Grand Forks about things to know in a hunter safety course and I heard about a woman who went from Minneapolis to the Arctic a few years ago, and that I should look into it”, Madison said. “I heard that Natalie Warren made the trip in 2011. She and I have been talking ever since, and here I am.”
She started the journey on May 7. At Le Sueur she had to stop for a few weeks because of flooding, but said she was lucky enough to meet a friendly family, the Straubs, at the boat dock, and spent two weeks with them before continuing. his trip.
“They were great, with a group of children and a farm”, said Williams.
“There have been a lot of insects, mainly gnats, over the past three days,” she explained.
She typically paddles 10 to 15 miles per day upriver and often against the wind on the Minnesota River.
Williams has a bilge pump handy in his kayak in case the boat starts to flood. His other supplies include an ultralight backpack, tent, and sleeping bag.
His expedition is sponsored by Big Agnes, a lightweight camping company.
In addition, she performs river water quality testing for the state of North Dakota.
Williams has also connected with local groups to hold public conservation events in communities such as Fargo and Grand Forks and other towns along the rivers she sits on. She plans to talk about cleaning up rivers, planting trees and other acts of conservation.
When it arrives in Brown’s Valley, Minnesota, it will go from upstream to downstream.
Some of his other plans include cleaning boats to prevent the spread of invasive species and picking up litter along rivers.
She sourced much of her clothing and equipment from second-hand sources.
Williams suffers from celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which ingesting gluten leads to damage to the small intestine. It is estimated that one in 100 people have the disease, but only 30% of them are correctly diagnosed.
She has an immune response if she eats anything with wheat, barley, or rye, so she needs to eat completely gluten-free foods. Most of her food is sent by her husband to post offices along her route. Sometimes she buys food.
“I often eat rice and ramen (noodles)”, she added. “I tried pasta and mac and cheese, but it didn’t work well on my stovetop. It freezes because it’s so starchy.
She also eats mashed potatoes, Jerky, fruit cups, oats for breakfast, lots of snack foods and other things.
Williams is currently unemployed.
“No one would give me time off for the trip” she says.
Williams worked as an overnight mail handler for a time at the Grand Forks Post Office. She has worked for 10 years in retail, including management.
“I’m still trying to figure out my career. I studied civil engineering for three and a half years and learned that I didn’t want to do this,” she added.
For more information, visit expeditionalpine.com and follow Williams on Facebook and Instagram.
(Fritz Busch can be emailed to [email protected].)
By GRANT GUGGISBERG
K State News Service
MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Concrete Canoe Team will compete in the 35th Annual American Society of Civil Engineers Concrete Canoe Competition Finals after a second-place finish at the Regional Student Symposium of Central America in May.
The competition, which will feature 19 qualifiers from 10 regions, takes place Friday through Sunday at the Louisiana Tech University campus in Ruston, Louisiana.
The competition challenges teams to create a functional concrete canoe. The process includes designing a shell, performing structural analysis, and finally designing a concrete mix that satisfies the strength requirements found in the structural analysis. Teams are judged on their final product, design document, oral presentation, and race results. Races include men’s and women’s sprints and endurance races.
Canoes are also built around a theme, with K-State choosing Triton’s Trireme as the theme for 2022.
“As a team, we are honored to represent K-State in the competition,” said Maddie Akers, senior civil engineering and geology officer. “To see our hard work pay off has been a tremendous reward.”
Civil engineering senior Hunter Meier said the team bonded as they prepared for the regional competition on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.
“Our team had grown closer in the weeks and months leading up to the competition in Ames,” he said. “Qualifying for the national competition in Ruston will further strengthen that bond and we look forward to competing again next year.”
Christopher Jones, a Wallis-Lage Family Cornerstone teacher-researcher and associate professor in K-State’s Department of Civil Engineering, is the team’s academic advisor.
K-State ASCE Concrete Canoe team members include the following students:
Civil Engineering Junior Hunter Prochaska, Beloit; Aidan Torrez, second-year civil engineering student, Bucyre.
Of Greater Kansas City: Luke Vohs, senior in civil engineering, Lenexa; Isabelle McCann, senior in civil engineering, Assignment; Quinn Underwood, Senior Civil Engineer, land park; and Amelia Mullin, senior in architectural engineering, Shawnee.
Hunter Meier, Senior Civil Engineer, lincoln; Dalton Willbrant, graduated May 2022 in civil engineering, manhattan; Lindsay Schupp, freshman in general engineering, oskaloosa; Cody Meyer, Civil Engineering Junior, sabetha; Nathan Streeter, second-year civil engineering student, Saline; Abbi Clark, Civil Engineering Junior, Wamego; and Kisan Patel, Senior Civil Engineer, Wichita.
From out of state: Ben Garnmeister, Civil Engineering Junior, Arlington Heights, Illinois; Kayleigh Bednar, second-year industrial engineering student, Kansas City, Missouri; Ciara Hogsett, graduated May 2022 in civil engineering, Willow Springs, Mo.;andMaddie Akers, Senior Civil Engineer, Omaha, Nebraska.
]]>A Canadian engineer will face a disciplinary hearing this month after a bridge he designed collapsed just hours after opening.
The five-day hearing before a panel of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS) Discipline Committee will begin on June 6.
The panel will examine allegations that engineer Scott Gullacher’s work on the Dyck Memorial Bridge in Saskatchewan, western Canada, was substandard.
The bridge opened on September 14, 2018 but collapsed later that day. No one was hurt.
The allegations for the committee to consider include that Gullacher failed to practice “carefully and diligently” in determining the required strength of the piles, in their design, and in the design of the entire bridge.
The committee will also examine allegations that Gullacher was providing services in an area outside of his professional competence and that he had not been “prudent and diligent” in his design of five other bridges in other parts of Canada. .
If the panel finds that Gullacher’s actions constitute “professional misconduct or incompetence,” he could be expelled from the association and removed from the register, suspended from the association, restricted to practicing only under certain conditions, reprimanded or penalized in “any other way the jury considers just”.
The panel can also impose a fine of up to $15,000 (£9,400).
In addition to this hearing, the Rural Municipality (RM) of Clayton has filed a lawsuit against two companies run by Gullacher and his wife – bridge construction company Can-Struct Systems and engineering services company Inertia Solutions.
The RM seeks damages for the cost of repairing and replacing the bridge and for the loss of its use.
According to the RM, Gullacher and his companies broke their contract because the bridge was supposed to last 75 years, but it collapsed after a few hours. The lawsuit points out that Gullacher did not “design and/or build a bridge that would not immediately collapse.”
In addition, geotechnical reconnaissance of the riverbed had not been undertaken prior to the installation of the bridge piles. The lawsuit states that “no geotechnical report was prepared to determine the subsoil conditions below the bridge” and “Can-Struct’s bridge design called for the use of screw piles as opposed to standard driven piles.” Of the industry”.
However, Gullacher and Inertia said the lack of a geotechnical investigation for the collapsed bridge was at the request of RM.
“The RM gave the instruction that no geotechnical investigation should be obtained as the RM was concerned about additional costs and delays,” they said. “Inertia admits that part of the bridge collapsed but denies that its design or specifications caused the collapse and submits the plaintiff to strict proof of this.”
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Texas Border Affairs
Pharr, Texas — Terracon, a leading provider of environmental, facilities, geotechnical and materials services, has appointed Martin Reyes Group Manager of Geotechnical Services in its Pharr office. In his new role, Martin will oversee or monitor all ongoing projects in the department to ensure on-time execution in accordance with client requirements and within company policies, procedures and standards. In addition, he will oversee the preparation of proposals and cost estimates and day-to-day operations.
Originally from Mexico, Reyes received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico de Nuevo Laredo, in Tamaulipas, Mexico. With over 30 years of experience in geotechnical engineering, he has proven himself to be an expert in the industry. Reyes joined Terracon in 2001, serving as project manager for geotechnical services in the Laredo office before moving to Pharr in 2015.
Terracon is an employee-owned, multidisciplinary consulting firm comprised of more than 5,000 inquisitive minds focused on solving engineering and technical problems at more than 175 locations nationwide. Explore with us by visiting terracon.com.
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High school
In high school baseball today…
• Houghton plays Jeffers.
• Calumet goes to Iron Mountain.
• Hancock welcomes Ontonagon.
• L’Anse visits Lake Linden-Hubbell.
In softball today…
• Houghton visits Negaunee.
• Hancock welcomes Westwood.
• Voyages from Lake Linden-Hubbell to Gogebic.
• L’Anse goes to Ironwood.
At golf…
• The Ontonagon Invitational will be played today.
Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools have announced their 2022 Outstanding Athlete Awards.
Marcus Sutherland won the male athlete award. He earned 12 varsity letters in football, basketball, track and field, baseball and golf, and earned postseason honors in football and basketball. Marcus is also the salutatorian for the class of 2022 and plans to study mechanical or civil engineering at Michigan Tech.
Camaryn Crouch won the female athlete award. She received nine varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and track and field, with numerous postseason honors. She holds the Copper Mountain Conference pole vault record. Camaryn also plans to attend Michigan Tech, to major in psychology.
Slow Pitch Softball
Play begins tonight in the Copper Country Slow Pitch Softball League. Nine teams are competing this summer.
• At Hancock Driving Park, A and S Industrial/Loukus Tech face Downtowner Two at 6.15am, then face Auto Pro/Thermoanalytics at 7.30am.
• At Miller Memorial Field in Laurium, Koppers meets Pat’s Foods/Bucko’s at 6:15, then plays Sayen’s Auto/Coca Cola at 7:15.
NHL
The NHL Conference Semifinals continued yesterday.
In the Eastern Conference…
• The Lightning beat the Panthers 5-1. Tampa Bay leads the series 3-0.
• The Rangers beat the Hurricanes 3-1. Carolina leads this set 2-1.
In the Western Conference…
• The Oilers smothered the Flames 4-1. Edmonton takes a 2-1 lead in this series.
In the Eastern Conference tonight…
• The Lightning host the Panthers.
In the Western Conference tonight…
• The Blues host the Avalanche. Colorado leads the series 2-1.
NBA
Last night in the NBA Western Conference Finals, the Warriors beat the Mavericks 109-100. Golden State leads the series 3-0.
The Eastern Conference Finals continue tonight, as the Heat visit the Celtics. Miami leads this set 2-1.
MLB
The Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 yesterday. Alex Faedo pitched the sixth, allowed two runs and earned his first major league victory. Javier Báez homered.
The Tigers open a series in Minnesota tonight. Beau Brieske will pitch against Chris Archer. Coverage will begin at 7:20 a.m. on 99.3 The Lift.
The Milwaukee Brewers lost to the Washington Nationals 8-2 yesterday. Freddy Peralta gave up five runs over three innings and then left the game with a tight shoulder. He will be examined today, and is probably directed to the injured list.
The Crew hosts the San Diego Padres tonight. Adrian Houser will start against Nick Martinez.
horseshoe league
Copper Country Horseshoe League play begins tonight…
• Dreamland Two takes on Dreamland One at Dreamland Bar.
• Ahmeek Fire Department is tending to the loading area at the Drift Inn.
• Hosts of Rocky’s Calumet One at Rocky’s Bar.
• Calumet Electronics plays Drift Inn at Ahmeek Park.
• Harter’s Party Store meets L and L at the Calumet dam.
• Bucko’s Party Shop faces 41 Lumber in Gipp Recreation Area.
Email sports news and results to [email protected].
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HOMER, Alaska – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hickory held a change of command ceremony at Pioneer Pier in Homer on Thursday.
Rear Adm. Nathan A. Moore presided over the ceremony, where Cmdr. Jeannette M. Greene transferred command of the Coast Guard Cutter Hickory to Lt. Cmdr. Shea G. Winterberger.
As commanding officer of the Hickory, Winterberger will be responsible for the 48 staff, who oversee the maintenance of more than 170 buoys and beacons from Kachemak Bay to the Kuskokwim River in the west.
Winterberger’s most recent assignment was in the Office of Budget and Programs at Coast Guard Headquarters, where she served as the Surface and Air Capabilities Program Reviewer. In this role, she was responsible for policy analysis and budget formulation for cutting, aviation and unmanned systems operations, review of future capability requirements, as well as the research agenda. and service development, which accounts for $1.5 billion of the Coast Guard’s budget.
Greene will take command of Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw in Cheboygan, Michigan.
A change of command ceremony marks the transfer of total responsibility and authority from one individual to another. It is an age-old tradition conducted before the assembled crew, along with honored guests and dignitaries to formally demonstrate the continuity of authority within a command.
| Date taken: | 19.05.2022 |
| Date posted: | 20.05.2022 15:02 |
| Story ID: | 421198 |
| Location: | HOMER, AK, US |
| Hometown: | HOMER, AK, US |
| Web views: | 5 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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NEW YORK– A total of 21 Columbia student-athletes won various awards on the Columbia University campus during Kickoff Week 2022.
“Each year, our student-athletes truly shine on the Columbia University campus by earning many of the university’s highest honors and honors,” said Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. Pierre Pilling mentioned. “What our student-athletes have accomplished is remarkable considering the challenges they have faced over the past two years. Once again, Columbia Athletics is proud of their outstanding accomplishments on campus.”
Sylvie Binder in women’s fencing, Xavier Thibault in football, Alexis Florio in women’s golf, John Stankard in heavyweight rowing, Sydni Scott in women’s track and field, Kali Hatcher in women’s track and field, and Paul Akere in football have won numerous honors on campus.
Binder, Thibault and Hatcher each won three awards each. Binder was named Senior Marshal, won the Alumni Achievement Award and a King’s Crown Leadership Awards for the spirit of Columbia. Thibault has been honored as a Senior Marshal, recipient of the Robert Lincoln Carey Memorial Award, and the Kings Crown Leadership and Excellence Award for Health and Welfare. Hatcher has won the Andrew Sarris Memorial Ward Humanities and Arts Award for Film Criticism, the Black Graduation Senior Award for Athletic Achievement, and Departmental Honors in Film and Media Studies.
Florio was a Senior Marshal and won a Kings Crown Leadership and Excellence Award for Community Development. Stankard received the Columbia College Robert Harron Award and a Kings Crown Leadership and Excellence Award for Indelible Mark, while Scott is a Rhodes Scholar and department honors in political science. Akere won the Black Graduation Senior Award for Athletic Achievement and was a recipient of the Multicultural Graduation Cord.
Other on-campus awards have yet to be announced.
The Columbia Athletics Class of 2022 is made up of 178 student-athletes. Columbia University and Columbia Athletics will celebrate the start of their 268and academic year Wednesday morning with graduation on campus.
2022 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ON-CAMPUS AWARDS WON BY COLUMBIA STUDENT-ATHLETES
Senior Marshals
Senior Marshals are outstanding senior class students with good academic standing who have a record of contributing to their class, school, and/or community and represent what it means to be a Colombian. Senior marshals lead their class in class day ceremonies and are distinguished by a gold aiguillette adorning their robes. Honored senior marshals have been nominated to represent their class by a member of the Columbia University community.
Sylvie Binder ’22CC (Women’s Fencing)
Alexis Florio ’22CC (Women’s Golf)
Xavier Thibault ’22CC (Football)
David Wang ’22CC (Men’s Swimming and Diving)
Researcher-Athlete Award
This award is given by the Deans’ Offices of Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to a graduate student who has distinguished himself as a college and varsity athlete.
James Bourtis ’22CC (men’s fencing)
Pedro Barbosa Teixeira Santos ’22SEAS (light rowing)
Columbia College Robert Harron Award
John Stankard ’23CC (heavyweight rowing)
Rhodes Scholar
Sydni Scott ’22CC (women’s athletics)
King’s Crown Leadership and Excellence Award
These awards recognize the significant contributions of Columbia College and Columbia Engineering students to the Columbia community. They are presented in eight categories to individuals from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering.
Alexis Florio, ’22CC (Women’s Golf), Community Development
Sylvie Binder ’22CC (women’s fencing), Columbia spirit
Joshua Smythe-Macaulay ’22CC (Football), Columbia Spirit
Justin Ghaeli ’22CC (Men’s Squash), Reasoned Action
John Stankard ’23CC (heavyweight rowing), indelible mark
Xavier Thibault ’22CC (Football), Health and Wellness
Beneficiaries of the Multicultural Graduation Cord
Paul Akere ’22CC (Football)
Pranjali Sharma ’22SEAS (Squash Women)
Senior Black Graduation Awards/Athletic Achievements
Paul Akere ’22CC (Football)
Kali Hatcher ’22CC (women’s athletics)
Modern Greek departmental honors
Anika Tsapatsaris ’22CC (Women’s Fencing)
Humanities and Arts Award / Andrew Sarris Memorial Award for Film Criticism
Kali Hatcher ’22CC (women’s athletics)
Departmental Honors in Film and Media Studies
Kali Hatcher ’22CC (women’s athletics)
Political Science Departmental Honors
Sydni Scott ’22CC (women’s athletics)
William Todd ’22CC (men’s soccer)
Columbia College Class Day Rewards
Xavier Thibault ’22CC (Football), Robert Lincoln Carey Memorial Award
Sylvie Binder ’22CC (Women’s Fencing), Alumni Association Excellence Award
Columbia Engineering Class of the Day Award
Callan Hall ’22CC (Men’s Squash), Electrical Engineering Department Research Award
Nicole Harr ’22CC (Women’s Rowing), Mechanical Engineering Certificate of Achievement
Luke Ciarelli ’22CC (Men’s Athletics), Henry L. Michel Award in Civil Engineering
Spencer Good, ’22CC (Wrestling), Mole’s Student Award in Civil Engineering
Simon Osak ’22CC (Light Rowing), Industrial Engineering Outstanding Student Service Award
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Community Education Foundation has added another program to give Batesville High School students an edge over their peers.
Thanks to a grant from BCEF, BHS students enrolled in Lead the Way project engineering courses will now have the opportunity to obtain an engineering design software user certification for free, announced BCEF Executive Director Anne Wilson. . BHS is one of the few high schools in the state that currently offers this testing opportunity.
“For several years, the BCEF has funded the certification costs of BHS students enrolled in Ivy Tech programs that culminate in an exam to prove competency in a certain area, such as certified practical nurses,” Wilson said. “It’s a tangible way for our foundation to help our students pursuing careers that require certification, so they don’t have to pay a dime for those tests. To date, we have provided BHS with just over $15,000 in certification reimbursement funding. When PLTW teacher Craig Hughes told us he wanted BHS to become an official testing center for design software exams so his students could become certified, we wanted to know more about the program to see if it would suit what we’ve already done.
Hughes attended the BCEF board meeting in April to present his proposal to members of the foundation. During his presentation, he highlighted how PLTW has long partnered with supplier Autodesk to integrate computer-aided design software into its programs to provide students with learning experiences that use the same industrial-grade software. used by engineers, designers, architects and fabricators. .
In BHS’s various engineering design courses, students use the software as a design tool for various activities, projects, and problems, such as designing a puzzle cube, designing laser-cut bridges, and water features for collecting plastic pollution. In the civil engineering course, students use the software to design, document, and create physical models of projects like a utility shed.
According to Hughes, earning this level of certification while in school will give students the confidence to continue to master Autodesk products and possibly pursue professional-level certification in the future. Additionally, these certifications will enhance their higher education applications and resumes by providing evidence of competence and mastery.
After learning more about Hughes’ plan, BCEF’s Board of Directors approved the addition of this new certification designation to its existing list of programs receiving annual support. Before the end of the school year, 23 of the Autodesk exams will be administered by Hughes at BHS, which will hopefully lead to certification for all candidates.
]]>OXFORD, Miss. – A total of 98 current and former Rebel student-athletes walked across the stage with diplomas in hand at the Spring Commencement Ceremonies spread throughout the weekend at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss.
The student-athletes, along with their families, friends, coaches and athletic department staff, celebrated their accomplishments and received their diplomas from Friday through Sunday.
There will be a special ceremony on Monday, May 16 at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Ole Miss teams competing this weekend who were unable to participate in the festivities this weekend.
Below is a full list of the Rebel student-athlete graduates included in the Spring Kickoff Ceremonies:
Miss Ole 2022 graduates
Baseball (9)
Bench Justin – Finance
WesBurton – Marketing
Chris Coghlan – University Studies (Rebel Reconnect)
Tim Elco – Sports analysis
Kevin Graham – Finance
Brandon Johnson – Mechanical Engineering
Henri Lartigue – General Affairs (Rebel Reconnect)
Logan Savel – Multidisciplinary studies
Ben Van Cleve – Administration of sports and leisure
Garrett Wood – Multidisciplinary studies
Men’s basketball (4)
Robert Allen – Multidisciplinary studies
Nysier Brooks – Hospitality management
Tye Fagan – Multidisciplinary studies
John McBride – Multidisciplinary studies
Women’s basketball (5)
Shakira Austin – Multidisciplinary studies
Donetta Johnson – Journalism
Iyanla Kitchens – General Business
Andeija Pucket – Criminal Justice
Mimi Reid – Criminal Justice
Well done (12)
Brittany Bennett – Biology
Brianna Berry – Biology
Channing Bridges – Integrated marketing communications
Kevin Brownlow – Criminal Justice
Baylee Cain – Accounting
Landyn Gage – Mechanical Engineering
Casey Gilles – Education in social studies
Pergola Tyria – Multidisciplinary studies
Brady Railey – Public works
Gaby Rico – Exercise Science
Marlon Sander – Administration of sports and leisure
Carson Stockham – Paramedical Health Studies
Women’s Cross Country (4)
Lydia Van Dijk – Multidisciplinary Studies
Anna Elkins – Social work
Morgan Claire Rose – Biology
Cate Tracht – Biology
Men’s Cross Country (7)
Cade Bethman – Multidisciplinary studies
Michael Coccia – Business Administration
Baylor Franklin – Finance
Nick Moulai – Administration of sports and leisure
Mario Garcia Romo – Chemistry
James Witmer – Marketing
James Young – Integrated marketing communications
Soccer (19)
Zikerrion Baker – Administration of sports and leisure
Lamar Brumfield – University Studies (Rebel Reconnect)
Ashanti Cistrunk – Real estate
Carter Colquitt – Management
Dontario Drummond – Multidisciplinary studies
Hamilton Hall – Integrated marketing communications
Lakia Henry – Multidisciplinary studies
Jonathan Hesse – Multidisciplinary studies
K.D. Hill – Exercise Science
Amani Johnson – Accounting
Deane Leonard – General Business
Ronald McClendon – University studies (Rebel Reconnect)
Sam Murphy – Finance
Jamal Pittman – College Studies (Rebel Reconnect)
Marc Robinson – Multidisciplinary studies
Braylon Sanders – Multidisciplinary studies
Towards Sanford – University studies (Rebel Reconnect)
Channing Ward – University Studies (Rebel Reconnect)
Isaiah Woulard – Criminal justice, social work
Men’s Golf (3)
Evan Brown – Sports analysis
Jackson Suber – Finance
Cecile Wegener – Finance
Women’s golf (3)
Julia Johnson – Sports analysis
Ellen Hume – Exercise Science
Ellen Hutchinson Kay – Mechanical Engineering
rebels (8)
Kinley Brown – Pharmaceutical sciences
Raegan Casey – Communication Sciences and Disorders
Elle Eickholz – Accounting
Scout Gore – Biological Sciences
Paige Hooker – Biology
Chloe McClish – Administration of sports and leisure
Corinne Passman – Pharmaceutical sciences
Bradford Stewart – Integrated marketing communications
Rifle (4)
Abby Buesseler – Biological Sciences, Biochemistry
Megan Taylor – Biology
Erin Walsh – Biological sciences, sociology
Jillian Zakrzeski – Criminal Justice
Soccer (1)
Haleigh Stackpole – Biology
Men’s Tennis (3)
Jan-Sören Hain – Banking and Finance
Finn Reynolds – Multidisciplinary studies
simon junk – Accounting
Women’s tennis (1)
Sabina Machalova – Psychology
Men’s athletics (6)
John Rivera – Corporate Affairs
Everett Smulders – Multidisciplinary studies
Joseph Benedetto – Exercise Science
Kenney Broadnax – Criminal Justice
Elie Sechoir – Criminal Justice
Demon Fleming – Sports analysis
Women’s athletics (6)
Teddy Britt – Psychology
Deborah Boulai – Multidisciplinary studies
Jayda Eckford – Law studies
Lauren Hoselton – Psychology, Integrated Marketing Communication
Bria Mack – Criminal Justice
Kelly Rowe – Criminal Justice
Volleyball (3)
Sam Burgio – Criminal Justice
Kylee McLaughlin – Integrated marketing communications
Lauren Thompson – Exercise Science
“Passionate, multi-faceted character who doesn’t yet know what to do when I grow up.”
Hometown: Salerno, Italy
Fun fact about yourself: When I started my career abroad, my level of English was so bad that people couldn’t understand me well. Among other stories, I remember confusing the verb “print” with the Italian “false friend” and “dab” (“print” in Italian translates to “dab”). Nobody in the office could understand why this intern always wanted to stamp all the documents, even the less significant ones!
Ironically, I now stamp and sign some of my company’s most important documents.
Undergraduate School and Major: I graduated from high school with a grade of 100/100 cum laude focusing on humanistic studies at Liceo Ginnasio Torquato Tasso, Salerno, Italy.
I completed both my Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with a mark of 110/110 and my Master of Science in Structural and Geotechnical Engineering with a mark of 110/110 cum laude at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
Most recent employer and job title:
Applied Technology and Management – Dubai Branch
Project manager | Head of Marine Structures and Geotechnics Department
Apart from your classmates, what was the key element of the HEC Paris MBA program that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? HEC Paris has caught my attention and fueled my dreams since I started thinking about an MBA. The prestige of the school and the reputation of its MBA program were certainly key factors that led to my decision. It also appealed to me the idea of being exposed to a wide variety of opportunities ranging from the different courses included in the program to all electives and the option of an international exchange. The idea of having the possibility to customize half of the program according to your own interests and ambitions is a plus.
What course, club or activity are you most passionate about at HEC Paris? It’s hard to pinpoint a specific course or activity I’m passionate about, with such a wide range of topics. I would say I’m excited about the program as a whole, with all the different courses on offer, including Strategic Business and Finance and Marketing. For someone like me who has a pure technical background, these are all very interesting topics and I can’t wait to see what will be most appealing. The ability to choose from seven different specializations is excellent, allowing you to customize the preparation to suit your tastes and interests.
HEC Paris is only 17 kilometers from Paris. In your opinion, what do you like the most about getting your MBA so close to Paris? Paris is at the heart of Europe and has always played an important strategic role in the history of the continent and the world. France and Paris play a major role in the economy and politics of the European Union and, as such, for a European citizen, it is a great chance to strengthen ties with a neighboring country and culture; it is a step towards creating a stronger European feeling and sense of belonging.
Describe your biggest achievement in your career so far: My goal has always been to get the best results and preparation in the most constrained time frame. I was the first student in my class to graduate with full marks. In the space of 3 years, I obtained my Master’s degree cum laude and three years ahead of the average Italian age of students who obtain a Master’s degree in engineering.
I decided to start working abroad. It was not easy to cope with the stress of moving abroad and having a first professional experience at the same time, two challenges that I was not afraid to take on and which I took on successfully. Constantly trying to prove myself, I decided to leave my first job, a safe and comfortable position, and accepted the role and responsibility of leading a department and becoming a project manager despite my young age. This role requires me to be able to effectively organize the work of other people and ultimately be accountable for their deliverables to the Client and the Authorities.
Recently during the confinement linked to COVID-19, I managed the project of a 300m bridge. Despite the difficult pandemic situation, thanks to the continuous hard work of the design and coordination of the office team and the site team, the bridge was successfully built in just 30 days!
I’ve always been very curious to explore other fields and that’s why, during my last year of Master, I wanted to try to develop my own business idea. This project required enormous efforts to develop new skills from both a commercial and technical point of view. This challenge was quite successful considering the awards received and made me realize that passion and creativity can bring out innovative ideas and solutions off the beaten track.
How has COVID-19 changed your outlook on your career and life in general? The main lesson I learned was that once again the world is extremely interconnected and unpredictable things can happen and propagate while you are working on your own plans. This is a lesson we had already learned on a different occasion, but with similar results during the global financial crisis; globalization and the high level of interconnection between countries is the tool that has allowed the global economy to grow, but it has also exposed its weakness to fall like a house of cards. What happens in one country — what is done by a small group of people — can have global consequences. This means that now more than ever, we need to develop skills to navigate through uncertain times and be ready to react and adapt to every opportunity. People’s lives can change from day to day, but skills will always be needed.
Thus, times of crisis can always be an opportunity to reconsider the world, to develop, to create new solutions and to adapt. Also, based on this consideration, I think it might be a great time to take a break to study and develop new skills.
From a personal perspective, having lived abroad for over five years now, I have come to realize what it really means to be away from home. Before COVID, physical distancing had lost its meaning as anyone could reach every corner of the globe in less than a day. These days that perspective has completely changed and I think people will start to appreciate and value more what it means to work and live abroad. I haven’t met my family for a year and a half. I spent my last Christmas without them for the first time in my life…it’s something I never thought possible before. What I learned is that in addition to focusing on work and career, we should not deprive ourselves of the good times of break and rest to spend with our loved ones.
What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? I believe that I have reached a point in my career and my life where I want to set goals for myself at a higher level, based on the experiences acquired so far and the ambition that I have. I am sure that this program will definitely open my mind and provide me with all the necessary tools to achieve my personal and professional goals. Professionally, I grew up with a technical background, but I quickly understood that my vocation was more oriented towards interpersonal relations and managerial tasks (which I now exercise). Unfortunately, university engineering courses often fail to provide students with adequate preparation for management; it is the lack that I feel the need to compensate for at this point.
I want to further develop managerial skills and business-oriented capabilities. As a short term goal, I would like to move into a senior management position and eventually lay the groundwork to start my own business.
I would like to devote my time and efforts to achieve something meaningful and useful for the community, or more specifically for my country. I am considering different ways to achieve this, which could come from the private sector or be involved in the public sector. Starting a business focused on products and services useful to the community and creating job opportunities for people would be a great way to do this. On the other hand, public involvement or work supporting public planning and action would be an alternative way to achieve such a goal.
What other MBA programs have you applied to? SDA Bocconi and ESADE
What advice would you give to help potential candidates enter the HEC Paris MBA program? Present your story at its best! Each person who has their own passions, ambitions and experiences is unique and interesting. Brands and titles cannot capture the full picture of a person. It’s your ability to get out of this pattern!
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