It is with great pleasure that Engineering Career Connections announces Edwin Lopez-Roman and Grady Widener as our 2023-24 Intern of the Year and Cooperative Education Student of the Year, respectively.

Lopez-Roman and Widener will be recognized at the College of Engineering Student Awards Reception on April 29 at 3 p.m.

This esteemed recognition is awarded to outstanding students who have demonstrated achievement and excellence within their internship or cooperative education experience and academic journey. Our selection committee was deeply impressed by the demonstrated influence of Lopez-Roman's and Widener's experiential experiences. Both award winners embodied the essence of going above and beyond the call of duty on and off campus.

2023-2024 Finalists

• Anthony Gabriel Tello, senior, mechanical engineering
• Katherine Skiles, senior, biological engineering
• Reuben Anandha Raj Samson, Ph.D. student, computer engineering

Please join us in congratulating Lopez-Roman, Widener and our finalists on this well-deserved recognition! 

Edwin Lopez-Roman: 2023-24 Intern of the Year

Lopez-Roman is a senior mechanical engineering student who was a summer 2023 Crossover Intern with Brown Engineers. Lopez-Roman's supervisor at Brown Engineers, Scott Osborn Geurin, stated that Lopez-Roman was "an integral team member, especially on his many construction phase tasks, including site visits, construction observation and submittal reviews."

Lopez-Roman's impact extended beyond his immediate responsibilities as he took the initiative to improve the organization's "onboarding process for future interns and new hires by creating step-by-step guides for tasks" that Lopez-Roman was trained on. Lopez-Roman's commitment to his peers' growth was evident in his experiential experience as he tutored his fellow interns.

This servant leadership extends beyond his internship and into the U of A community, where he mentored incoming students as Theta Tau's sophomore council member/mentor. Lopez-Roman is also vice president of external affairs for the U of A's Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

Lopez-Roman's resilience, integrity and determination in facing challenges have set him apart. Lopez-Roman's commitment to personal growth, combined with his ability to motivate and support others, reflects his exceptional character.

Grady Widener: 2023-24 Cooperative Education Student of the Year

Widener, a senior mechanical engineering student, completed a cooperative education experience with Tesla in the spring of 2023. As Tesla's Powertrain Equipment Engineering Intern, Widener left an indelible mark on the company's program and the organization he worked with.

During his internship, he aided in resolving an issue that was "present in the process since the program's inception," stated Widener's supervisor, Jonathan Romero. "Grady was an exceptional intern for us. He filled a huge void on my team, specifically when it came to out-of-the-box thinking design projects."

Widener's efforts were not only noticed by his organization, but lauded. "Grady was one of the most productive and efficient interns we've had at Tesla in my 11-plus year tenure." Widener's commitment to professional development is evident in his proactive pursuit of additional credentials and skills. Classified by professor Darin Nutter as one of Mechanical Engineering Department's high-achieving students, Widener's strong work ethic and self-motivation set a standard that is truly commendable.