Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering 35th Annual Induction & Awards Banquet

AACE 2015 Inductees

The Arkansas Academy of Civil Engineering (AACE) held its 35th annual Induction and Awards Banquet on Friday, April 24. Over 250 members, faculty, staff, and family attended the induction of 12 new members of the academy family. Three students received prestigious outstanding student awards as well.

AACE is an accomplished group of civil engineering alumni who have shown exceptional merit and together have given over $100,000 in student body scholarships this past year. They also contribute to the recruitment of new tenure-track faculty. This aides the Department of Civil Engineering in ensuring only the highest quality of faculty brought in and in turn, ensures only the highest quality of students sent through commencement and out into the working field.

The following are the 12 academy inductees:

• James L. Barr, B.S.C.E., U of A, 1994
• Michael A. Callahan, M.S.C.E., U of A, 1998
• Stephen V. Forsgren, B.C.S.E., U of A, 1994
• Joe Hilliard, M.S.C.E., U of A, 1984
• Jerry Kelso, B.S.C.E., U of A, 1993
• Michael A. McDonald, B.S.C.E., U of A, 1983
• William Earl Mott, B.S.C.E., U of A, 1992
• Jason R. Myers, B.S.C.E., U of A, 1994
• Robert B. Nelson - Honorary, M.S.-Engr., Columbia University, 1961
• Robert 'Bob' Oates - Honorary, B.S.C.E., U of A, 1944
• Thomas C. Oppenheim, B.S.C.E., U of A, 1983
• Stacy G. Williams, Ph.D., U of A, 2001

There was also recognition of three outstanding students in the department voted on by the faculty. Kevin Hall, 2007 Academy member, professor and department head, awarded Maggie Langston with the Outstanding Sophomore Award. Hall awarded the Outstanding Junior Award to Emma Hernon, and the E. Walt LeFevre Outstanding Senior Award went to Matthew Watters.

The Business Meeting was held the following morning in the John A. White Engineering Hall where members made new pledges for providing scholarships for the upcoming academic year totaling over $100,000 for the second year in a row.

The AACE Events for 2016 have been tentatively scheduled for April 8-9, 2016.