KU junior from De Soto receives Aviation Week national honor

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Ryan Endres

LAWRENCE, KS (02/19/2014)(readMedia)-- LAWRENCE - University of Kansas School of Engineering junior Ryan Endres has an impressive list of activities and accomplishments.

From Engineers Without Borders and the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program, to a summer internship at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Endres also has led efforts to increase sustainability on campus, and he qualified to run the Boston Marathon.

Now there's a new one to add to the list – national recognition from a leading publication in the aviation industry.

Endres, a junior in aerospace engineering from De Soto, was recently selected by Aviation Week magazine as one of the winners of its newest awards program, Tomorrow's Engineering Leaders: The Twenty20s.

The Twenty20s Award "seeks to identify students who are already making a difference, through their academic performance, the projects and research they undertake, and their engagement with the world beyond their classrooms," Greg Hamilton, Aviation Week president, said in a news release announcing the winners.

Z.J. Wang, chair of the KU Department of Aerospace Engineering, nominated Endres.

"Ryan is a great representative of our students in KU aerospace engineering." Wang said. "He is not only a straight-A student but also extremely active outside the classroom to make the world a better place. I am very impressed with his can-do attitude."

Endres received the award in November in Phoenix. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the National Aviation and Defense Conference.

"It was a great experience because there were so many professionals and industry leaders there. It was an excellent way to network and expand your horizons beyond what we learn in class. You get to hear all about business trends and the latest technology used in industry," Endres said.

Endres credited a well-rounded educational experience at KU for helping him earn the recognition in Aviation Week.

"I think it's critical to be engaged and participate in activities you have passion for. Don't use time as an excuse. The perfect time to get involved is now," Endres said.

"There will always be challenges," he said. "Engineering is a difficult major, but if you make that your excuse to avoid following your dreams, you're going to miss out on opportunities to change way people view the world. Fortunately, at KU, there are opportunities for all kinds of involvement outside the classroom, while still getting a great education."