Student Stories
News Stories
Meet VCU Engineering’s first Completion Grant awardee
Kiana Hutt, the first student to be awarded a VCU College of Engineering completion grant, is a senior studying mechanical engineering. She grew up in Dinwiddie, Virginia, with three step-sisters and one brother. Her mother and stepfather are military veterans. Read more about Kiana Hutt
A ‘Tom Sawyer type of adventure’: Sam Cole’s path from tugboat deckhand to VCU research lab
Sam Cole remembers the hard work he put in as a deckhand and later as a tankerman on a tugboat while in his early 20s. Cole spent the days tying rope and working with the crew to guide vessels along the Gulf Coast. He was exhausted at the end of each day. Read more about Sam Cole
‘A gym for cells’: VCU Engineering doctoral student is awarded an American Heart Association fellowship
Sarah Saunders (B.S.’17), a doctoral student in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, has received a prestigious American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship.Read more about Sarah Saunders
VCU Ph.D. Student Awarded Travel Grants
Farheen Syeda, a mechanical engineering doctoral student, will present her research on brain stimulation at theInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers conference in Dublin, Ireland this month. Syeda was selected to receive a travel grant for the IEEE International Magnetics Conference, INTERMAG Europe 2017, from April 24-28.
VCU student wins nanotechnology research grant
Connor Howe, a Virginia Commonwealth University doctoral student in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, will develop a novel device for treating cerebral aneurysms under a national program to advance nanotechnology research in the Southeastern U.S.
MNE Alum Melissa Peskin Receives Patent for a Second Energy-Saving Invention
Melissa Peskin’s inventions help utility companies keep prices and environmental impact low. Peskin earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2007 and is a consulting engineer with Dominion Voltage Inc., a subsidiary of Dominion Resources. She has worked on two patented technologies that help utilities conserve energy safely without compromising power quality for customers.
Dominic Espiritu
"Apply for everything related to your major with a good resume, no matter what your chances are."
Dominic Espiritu graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering's Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering in May 2015. After finding an internship through the HireVCURams website, Espiritu began working at Church & Dwight. As a Mechanical Engineering Intern, Espiritu mainly works in AutoCAD, designing machine parts and floor plans. Church & Dwight is a manufacturer of household products based in Ewing, New Jersey, and produces well-known brands such as Arm & Hammer, Clorox, and Colgate.
Daniel Metz
"Make sure your resume is always ready."
Daniel Metz graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering's Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering in May 2014. Metz began his experience as a professional engineer with an internship at Duke Energy in the summer of 2013, and is now working full time under the position Engineer I (Balance of Plant Systems Engineering) for the company. Metz is responsible for trending the turbine, generator, generator hydrogen and stator cooling water systems for reliability, and also corrects deficient plant conditions.
Donielle Bibby
Donielle Bibby graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering's Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering in May 2014. Bibby began her first internship with Rolls Royce in 2011, and is completing her second internship with the company now. Her team is designing the turbine to be used in Airbuses- massive engines with a diameter of ten-and-a-half feet. Rolls Royce's Advanced Airfoil Machining Facility (AAMF) is located in Prince George County, Virginia, and began operating in 2013. The AAMF produces turbine blades and nozzle guide vanes for advanced aero engines.
Nicole Waugh
Nicole Waugh, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering class of 2015, interned at Dominion VA Power working on risk assessment for nuclear power plants.
Dabin Kim
Dabin Kim, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering class of 2016 student, is the first of many Student Success Story videos following the unique research, outreach opportunities and internships that self-starting Rams are pursing. Learn about Kim’s internship this summer 2014 with Fareva Richmond.
Marcus Wardlow
Marcus Wardlow, Mechanical Engineering class of 2015, interned at Dell Computers working with CAD and servers.
Al Levinson
Al Levinson, Mechanical Engineering class of 2017, worked as a design engineer intern at K2M, a medical device company specializing in the spine.
Jessica Bishop
Jessica Bishop, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering class of 2016, was a participant in Bioenergetics, a collaborative project between the VCU School of Engineering and VCUarts that promotes the study of mitochondria. In addition, she will be traveling to Vienna, Austria for an internship with the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as Dresden, Germany to study nuclear reactor physics.
Dimitris Killinger
Recent alumnus Dimitris Killinger, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering class of 2015, has accepted a job post-graduation at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard as an entry level engineer.
Nathan Kirby
Nathan Kirby, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering class of 2016, is currently conducting research in Dr. Guven's lab on the properties of glass and ceramic materials that are fractured and damaged as a result of particle impact.
Dmitriy Kirzhner
Dmitriy Kirzhner, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering class of 2016, is currently doing a co-op at Altria.
Thomas Miller
Alumnus Thomas Miller, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering class of 2015, is currently working for Dominion assisting several different power stations. Learn about his experiences at VCU School of Engineering and post-graduation!
Mana Amrei
Listen to Mana Mokhtabad Amrei, a Ph.D. candidate at VCU share what it was like winning the American Filtration and Separation Society’s poster competition. Get tips on how to take advantage of research opportunities at VCU. Mana's research is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, Chemical Biological Separation Program.
Dylan Dawson
Dylan Dawson, a mechanical and Nuclear Engineering student is dreaming up equipment and system designs for $30,000 projects at DuPont. For him, there’s nothing like learning fast and getting to see his designs get implemented in the plant environment to improve efficiency and safety. His journey started at the Internship & Career Fair. Where will your journey start? Hear Dylan share more of his story!
Bryson Sin
Bryson Sin, a senior mechanical and nuclear engineering student, talks about his summer research internship working with capacitors at Georgia Tech. Beyond the technical experience he gained, Sin learned a lot about communication and teamwork: “You can’t complete a project alone. And without clear communication across the entire project team, a research initiative can shut down.”
Kelli McKenna
Kelli McKenna, a senior mechanical and nuclear engineering student, was looking for a company with a strong sense of culture and team-based leadership opportunities. Hear her chat about her experience learning and shaping products at Altria.
Andrew Perkins
As an intern, Andrew Perkins, a mechanical and nuclear engineering student, expected to take on the jobs no one else wanted. He was wrong. "Try to find something that engages you, where you can apply what you're learning in class," Perkins advises. Chshaneck out how he designed and fabricated a spring and latch assembly to make a consumer goods product safer.
Rehman Chaudry
“Engineering is no longer about just one person working in a cubicle. You have to talk and communicate with your team members,” says Rehman Chaudry, a mechanical and nuclear engineering student. See how Chaudry found his voice and refined his communication skills to land a great co-op.
Danielle Corsino
Senior student Danielle Corsino was drawn to mechanical and nuclear engineering for the diversity of skills she could acquire. From working with bearings to roller coasters, she sees nothing but endless opportunities. Listen to her chat about an internship with Altria and her first post-graduation job she snagged from Nestle Purina.