Brothers drop $1M on college faculty
Tara Duffy
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: News
A $1 million gift to SJSU's College of Engineering was recognized during Wednesday night's 2008 College of Engineering Awards Ceremony at San Jose's Fairmont Hotel, where about 500 faculty, students and alumni celebrated.
Former SJSU engineering alumni Don Newnan and his late brother Dean, who were also faculty members, imparted the gift, according to a news release. With the donation, the college established the Newnan Brothers Excellence in Teaching Endowment to "recognize and help retain distinguished faculty members," according to the news release.
Emily Allen, a professor and chair of chemical and materials engineering, accepted the Newnan Brothers Award on behalf of the college.
"The honor is being nominated by my colleagues," said Allen. "I am utterly honored to receive this award. We are here to make our students successful."
Other faculty members were also on hand to also receive awards.
"It's great to get an award from the college," said Kurt McMullin, an associate professor in civil and environmental engineering.
"They have been very supportive. … They have some great skills at the college for putting applied research into effect. To be identified as one of these people, it's a great honor," said McMullin, who received a faculty award for excellence in scholarship.
"It's my 25th year," said Haluk Ozemek, a computer engineering professor who received the award for excellence in teaching.
"(The engineering program) is one of the best at the undergraduate level," Ozemek said. "It prepares students for the real world."
Five engineering students also received awards for various accomplishments and academic performances.
Philip Boutelle, a senior mechanical engineering major, received the Lockheed Martin Student Award for undergraduate academic performance.
When asked about how he felt being at the awards ceremonies, Boutelle said, "I'm excited to have a good time with everyone that I have gone to school with for the last couple of years."
Boutelle said he has been attending SJSU for two years and is graduating from the College of Engineering this month.
"It's a great program," he said. "It exceeded my expectations, and it has been very fulfilling as well as challenging."
John Orozco, a senior mechanical engineering major, received the Scott T. Axline Memorial Student Award for excellence in service. He said that he has been attending SJSU for two years and was very excited to receive the award.
"We are honored to be able to recognize outstanding professors," said Belle Wei, the Don Beall dean of the College of Engineering. "The professors work very hard and are committed to their students. It is just wonderful to have an occasion to recognize top faculty, students and alumni."
The awards ceremony was sponsored by many organizations, including IBM, Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard.
"We are very grateful for the sponsorship we've received," Wei said.
Former SJSU engineering alumni Don Newnan and his late brother Dean, who were also faculty members, imparted the gift, according to a news release. With the donation, the college established the Newnan Brothers Excellence in Teaching Endowment to "recognize and help retain distinguished faculty members," according to the news release.
Emily Allen, a professor and chair of chemical and materials engineering, accepted the Newnan Brothers Award on behalf of the college.
"The honor is being nominated by my colleagues," said Allen. "I am utterly honored to receive this award. We are here to make our students successful."
Other faculty members were also on hand to also receive awards.
"It's great to get an award from the college," said Kurt McMullin, an associate professor in civil and environmental engineering.
"They have been very supportive. … They have some great skills at the college for putting applied research into effect. To be identified as one of these people, it's a great honor," said McMullin, who received a faculty award for excellence in scholarship.
"It's my 25th year," said Haluk Ozemek, a computer engineering professor who received the award for excellence in teaching.
"(The engineering program) is one of the best at the undergraduate level," Ozemek said. "It prepares students for the real world."
Five engineering students also received awards for various accomplishments and academic performances.
Philip Boutelle, a senior mechanical engineering major, received the Lockheed Martin Student Award for undergraduate academic performance.
When asked about how he felt being at the awards ceremonies, Boutelle said, "I'm excited to have a good time with everyone that I have gone to school with for the last couple of years."
Boutelle said he has been attending SJSU for two years and is graduating from the College of Engineering this month.
"It's a great program," he said. "It exceeded my expectations, and it has been very fulfilling as well as challenging."
John Orozco, a senior mechanical engineering major, received the Scott T. Axline Memorial Student Award for excellence in service. He said that he has been attending SJSU for two years and was very excited to receive the award.
"We are honored to be able to recognize outstanding professors," said Belle Wei, the Don Beall dean of the College of Engineering. "The professors work very hard and are committed to their students. It is just wonderful to have an occasion to recognize top faculty, students and alumni."
The awards ceremony was sponsored by many organizations, including IBM, Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard.
"We are very grateful for the sponsorship we've received," Wei said.
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