April 15, 2016

Tickets on sale for College of Engineering banquet

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill. – A question-and-answer forum with a panel of top engineering alumni will highlight next month’s College of Engineering banquet at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. 

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the annual banquet, which is set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5, in the Student Center. The event, which features a catered meal, award presentations and the panel, is open to the public. Organizers expect about 300 to attend. 

Tickets are on sale now until April 22 in the College of Engineering Dean’s Office, located in E-102 in the Engineering Building. Tickets are $20 for faculty, staff, alumni and the public. Student tickets are $10. Those attending from out of town can call 618/453-4321 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to reserve tickets and pay for them at the door. 

John Warwick, dean of the College of Engineering, will kick off the program with opening remarks. The panel discussion is scheduled to begin about 6:30 and should last about 30 minutes, organizers said. Those attending the banquet will have the opportunity to ask questions of each of the panelists. 

College of Engineering alumni panelists, their specialty and employer include:

  • Joe Lenzini, civil engineering, E.T. Simonds Construction Co.
  • Larry Smith, electrical and computer engineering, The Boeing Co.
  • Stacy Kelley, industrial technology, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Mint
  • Alphonse “Al” Arias, mechanical engineering, VentureShot 

Organizers also hope to invite an alumni representative from the mining engineering sector to serve on the panel. 

Following the question-and-answer panel, organizers will present a slideshow featuring the achievements of engineering registered student organizations during the past year. They will then present various awards, including the Dean’s Award, Engineering Student Council funding awards, and the Blaudow Faculty and Leadership Development Program awards. The college also will recognize Y. Paul Chugh, recently retired professor of mining and mineral resources engineering.