IMSE students receive scholarships from IISE

Four K-State industrial engineering students were recently selected to receive distinguished scholarships from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, or IISE, Scholarship and Fellowship Program.

The four students were chosen from a pool of industrial engineering students enrolled in IISE-recognized programs in the United States, Canada and Mexico, who have maintained a minimum GPA of 3.40.

Two of the students, Allison Kirby, junior in industrial engineering, and Logan Maurer, senior in industrial engineering, were each awarded the UPS Scholarship for Female Students. Only two of these scholarships are given out for the North American region and both were awarded to K-State students, a remarkable achievement.

Both Kirby and Maurer currently hold leadership positions within the K-State IISE Chapter, with Kirby currently serving as the treasurer and Maurer as the public media chair. They have both actively contributed to various departmental and university groups, showcasing their leadership and dedication and commitment to their field.

The two had the opportunity to attend the IISE Annual Conference and Expo in New Orleans in May.

“Attending the IISE National Conference in New Orleans was a great opportunity for me to network with engineers in industry and get exposure to areas of industrial engineering that I hadn’t learned about before,” Kirby said.

She found the research presentations on topics like supply chain, ergonomics and operations research to be eye-opening, highlighting the wide-ranging applications of industrial engineering. She expressed a desire to attend future conferences to further enhance her professional knowledge.

Maurer was thrilled to attend the conference and be able to network with industrial engineers.

“I found the discussions during the conference to be highly technical but still fascinating, as we learned about the latest developments in the field of industrial engineering,” Maurer said.

Molly Blankenship, senior in industrial engineering, was awarded the $1,000 Henry and Elisabeth Kroeze Memorial Scholarship. She has been involved in departmental and university leadership positions and has served as the IISE intramural chair for the last two years.

“The scholarship not only alleviated financial stress, but also instilled a sense of pride as it recognized the value of my contributions to the organization,” Molly said.

Brandon Thimmesch, senior in the industrial engineering accelerated B.S./M.S. program, was awarded a $2,100 Dwight D. Gardner Scholarship. Thimmesch has been highly involved in departmental and university groups and demonstrated exceptional leadership skills throughout his three years as the IISE Open House Chair.

“Receiving this award relieved some stress regarding money knowing that I had less of a financial burden associated with tuition,” he said. “It was also a form of recognition for my leadership efforts in various student organizations, which was empowering as it motivated me to continue devoting time and energy to the organizations to aid my peers in the pursuit of skill-rich opportunities.”

IISE is a global professional society that is dedicated to supporting the field of industrial engineering. This nonprofit organization recognizes outstanding students in industrial engineering who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership on campus.