Columbia Engineers Set to ‘SEAS the World’

On Monday, May 19, Columbia Engineering celebrated Class Day ceremonies in separate events for undergraduates and graduate students and their families. 

At the afternoon ceremony for undergraduates, Dean Shih-Fu Chang welcomed the guests and commenced proceedings, while noting that graduates hailed from 43 states across the country and 41 countries around the world. Senior Class President Ha Young Jin encouraged students to stay in touch with one another and introduced the Class Day speaker, Jennifer Yu Cheng BS’03, group president of CTF Education Group and a leader in education innovation. 

Cheng, who majored in industrial engineering and operations research, recounted how she pivoted from investment banking to “embark on a career at the intersection of education, entrepreneurship, and social impact.” While sharing how she navigated challenges in her career and business, she urged students to be engineers for humanity. “Act now to solve today’s problems. Imagine the future and create innovations.” 

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Cheng also shared how her Columbia Engineering education, one that supplemented technical work with liberal arts and exposure to industry professionals, had planted seeds for her development of the Kindervarsity educational framework, a model that brings together K-12 students with teachers, university researchers, and industry professionals. 

She affirmed that this interdisciplinary foundation would serve students well in their future. “Class of 2025: As Columbia engineers, you too are equipped with the diverse perspectives to innovate, create impact, and lead in whatever field you choose. Don’t forget to anchor to your mission — and be pioneers. Don’t wait for the future. Start imagining it now and act today."

Vice Dean of Academic Programs Barclay Morrison presented several awards, including the George Vincent Wendell Memorial Medal to Kathryn Lampo. Jennifer Oettinger was recognized as Salutatorian, and Valedictorian Andrew Yang was also recognized as the Illig Prize recipient.

In his remarks, Yang, a double major in applied physics and applied mathematics, used an analogy from his own research into materials at the nanoscale to highlight the importance of waves. 

“Waving hi, in orientation week, to some of your now closest friends. Tearful waves goodbye to your parents after convocation . . . In 1807, Joseph Fourier showed how waves sum to form beautiful functions. The sum of our interactions forms this beautiful community.”

He urged his fellow students to continue to take risks, despite their fears. “Look among us: We are SEAS. And we’re gonna make waves!”

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Columbia Engineering Alumni Association (CEAA) President Reid Ellison welcomed the Class to the alumni network and recognized the recipients of the CEAA Distinguished Faculty Teaching Awards: Computer Science Professor Luca Carloni and Lecturer in the Discipline of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research Yaren Kaya.

Dean Chang addressed the Class and noted that their first year coincided with his first year as interim dean of the School. He emphasized the problem-solving nature of engineering and how students were prepared to make an impact on society. 

“We live in a time when new and bold ideas and creative solutions are critically needed,” said Chang. “It is a time when engineers and applied scientists are needed. Particularly, engineers who think broadly and deeply about how engineering and technology affect society and how they can improve humanity. At Columbia, we call this our Engineering for Humanity vision. And you are the best ambassadors for this vision!”

Dean Chang presented two Columbia Engineering faculty awards. Asher Williams, assistant professor of chemical engineering, received the Janette and Armen Avanessians Diversity Award, and Michael Massimino, professor of professional practice in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, received the Edward and Carole Kim Award for Faculty Involvement.

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Dean Chang introduced Provost Angela Olinto. Provost Olinto congratulated the group, calling them the most “stellar” group of graduates. “And as an astrophysicist I don’t use that word lightly!” She then shared a greeting from Acting President Claire Shipman.

Later that afternoon, faculty, students and their families gathered for the 2025 Graduate Class Day. Columbia Engineering Graduate Speaker Raman Odgers, addressed the class and advised his fellow graduates to see uncertainty in a positive light. 

“Uncertainty isn’t always negative. It leads us to the joy of unexpected opportunities and new friendships,” he said. 

“Uncertainty protects us from becoming just like the tools that we create as engineers, and gives us the power to use that Columbia education to choose and shape the future not just of our own lives but of the world.”

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Vice Dean Morrison recognized the Graduate Student Life Leadership Award recipients: Kimberly Ruth Kroupa and Xialong Wu. 

The graduates then heard from Class Day Speaker Harsh Jain ‘14BUS, CEO and co-founder of Dream Sports, India’s leading sports technology company and a global pioneer in digital sports entertainment. 

Jain, who received a degree from Columbia Business School, stressed the importance of passion. He shared how his love for fantasy football inspired him to bring the concept to India, which had no fantasy sports at the time. Gaining traction in a new market took some time and he urged graduates to be persistent. “Now as you enter the real world, I have only one piece of advice. Learn how to fail. Pick yourself up and keep going.” 

Each of Columbia’s 19 Schools celebrates their graduates with their own dedicated Class Day ceremony. On Tuesday, May 20, the Engineering School held a hooding ceremony for its doctoral students. Columbia University celebrated all graduates at Commencement on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. 

STUDENT AWARD WINNERS

Zvi Galil Award for Improvement in Engineering Student Life

Columbia Space Initiative 

Bernard Jaffe Prize for the Encouragement of Inventiveness in Engineering

Alec Batts

School of Engineering and Applied Science Scholar Athlete Award

Andrew David Fouty

Campbell Award

Kathryn Lampo

School of Engineering and Applied Science Student Activities Award

Sandhya Sethuraman 

Thomas "Pop" Harrington Medal

Hayden Flook 

George Vincent Wendell Memorial Award

Kathryn Lampo

Robert D. Lilley Award for Socially Responsible Engineering

Engineers Without Borders

Morton B. Friedman Memorial Prize for Excellence

Jingping Nie

Graduate Student Life Leadership Awards

Kimberly Ruth Kroupa

Xiaolong Wu

Graduate Speaker

Raman Odgers

Valedictorian and Illig Prize

Andrew Yang

Salutatorian 

Jennifer Oettinger 

FACULTY/ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS

CEAA Distinguished Faculty Teaching Awards

Luca Carloni

Professor of Computer Science 

Yaren Kaya

Lecturer in the Discipline of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research

Presidential Teaching Award

Peter Kinget

Bernard J. Lechner Professor of Electrical Engineering 

Faculty Mentoring Award 

Kathy McKeown

Henry and Gertrude Rothschild Professor of Computer Science

Columbia Honorary Doctor of Letters

Zvi Galil

Columbia Engineering Dean Emeritus

Edward and Carole Kim Award for Faculty Involvement

Michael Massimino

Professor of Professional Practice in the Department of Mechanical Engineering

Janette and Armen Avanessians Diversity Award 

Asher Williams

Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering

Society of Columbia Graduates Great Teacher Award 

Hardeep Johar

Senior Lecturer in Discipline in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research

CAA Alumni Medalist

John Mullervy BS’00