Adam Van Handel receives international recognition

MILWAUKEE, WI (05/29/2012)(readMedia)-- Three industrial engineering majors at Milwaukee School of Engineering were recognized by the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). The awards were announced at IIE's Annual IE Conference and Expo. Students from around the world were nominated for these awards.

Adam Van Handel, a junior from Appleton, Wis., received the Presidents Scholarship for $1,000 in recognition of his excellence in scholarly activities and leadership of the industrial engineering profession. To be eligible for the scholarship, candidates must be active in an IIE student chapter and must have demonstrated leadership and promoted IIE involvement on campus.

Carol Smith Cayo, from Lake Mills, Wis., received the third place James W. Barany Student Award for Excellence which recognizes undergraduate students who, since the beginning of their junior year, have distinguished themselves through excellence of scholarship and campus leadership. The award singles out those who have brought distinction to industrial engineering at their institution. Cayo will graduate this spring with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and has accepted a job offer to be an implementation consultant/project manager for a health care software company.

Spenser Brown, a sophomore double majoring in industrial engineering and business management, from Lafayette, Ind., received a $3,000 Dwight D. Gardner Scholarship, which is given to undergraduate students majoring in industrial engineering at any school in the United States, Canada or Mexico with an accredited industrial engineering program.

"These three students epitomize the skills and behaviors needed to excel in business today through their high standards, focus, drive and ability to manage their time while juggling classes, work and extracurricular activities," said Dr. Charlene Yauch, MSOE assistant professor and industrial engineering program director. "It is great for a small industrial engineering program to get this level of recognition, and it is a tribute to the high caliber of students at MSOE."

IIE is the world's largest professional society dedicated solely to the support of the industrial engineering profession and individuals involved with improving quality and productivity. Founded in 1948, IIE is an international, nonprofit association that provides leadership for the application, education, training, research and development of industrial engineering.

MSOE is an independent university with about 2,500 students. MSOE offers 18 bachelor's degrees and nine master's degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, health-related engineering, computer, business and nursing fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; and extremely high placement rates and the highest starting salaries of any Wisconsin university according to PayScale Inc. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.