Volume 25, Issue 1, The Summer Edition!
Published August 2025
Embedded Files
I. Letter from the President
I. Letter from the President
Max West (ROB ’25 / ROB ’26)
Hello EGL Community,
If we have not met before, my name is Max West, and I have had the pleasure of serving as the EGL President this past semester. With an incoming class of 30 new admits, we’ve had an absolute explosion of new perspectives and experiences!
From our VA pre-departure cultural workshop, to the new mentorship coffee chats, to the annual Case Chain circuit, I’ve been truly blown away by this year’s board’s willingness to push EGL ideals and events to the next level. I could not have asked for a more committed group of engineers to serve with. To our 13 board members: you push me to be my best self, and I’m wholeheartedly proud of the work you've done this semester. I’m even more excited to see where we go next. If you know anyone on the current board, tell them thank you — from me!
This year, we also achieved something I’m personally very proud of: creating a new board position, the Strategic Funding Chair. This chair will serve as EGL’s liaison and expert in external funding sources, focusing on company relationships, university funding, and VA money management. We hope this new role will help make funding more accessible to our members and strengthen our organization for years to come.
I've had a blast meeting all the new admits and building stronger connections with you all this semester! I'm excited to see what the Fall has in store for us... You'll never cease to amaze me!
Best,
Max
II. Student Society Update
II. Student Society Update
Membership & Community Engagement
Membership & Community Engagement
Members of the new admit class fully engaged in Topics in Leadership (TiL).
Welcoming Our Biggest Class In Several Years!
This year marks a milestone for EGL as we welcomed our largest incoming class in many years, with new members hailing from a wide range of backgrounds and majors, each bringing fresh perspectives and energy to our community. We kicked off the year with our annual New Admit Gathering, where new admits and current members connected over pizza, classic icebreaker games, and meaningful conversations, setting a welcoming tone for the semester. Our membership now includes students from more than a dozen engineering majors, a testament to both the diversity and interdisciplinary spirit at the heart of EGL. As our community continues to grow, we are excited to see the many ways our newest members will contribute.
Community Day at the Refugee Gardens
EGL held a Community Day in partnership with the Refugee Gardens Initiative. Members spent the day volunteering in local gardens, working alongside newly resettled refugee families in Ann Arbor. Activities included preparing the soil, planting seeds, and helping with seasonal garden maintenance. The goal of the project was to support these families as they build new lives in our community and to promote local food security. For volunteers, it was a hands-on experience that underscored how small collective actions can make a meaningful impact.
EGL Formal & Picnic
We closed out the semester by coming together for two cherished EGL events: our annual Formal and the End-of-Year Picnic. This year’s Formal, held at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, invited members to celebrate milestones and accomplishments in a festive setting-sharing dinner, dancing, and memories that capped off another remarkable year. Despite the rain, the room was filled with energy and laughter as we marked the close of the academic year.
A few days later, the End-of-Year Picnic offered a chance to slow down and enjoy the simple joys of community. Members gathered outdoors for food, games, and time to reconnect with classmates and friends. It was the perfect space to reflect on the year’s achievements, welcome new faces, and send off graduating seniors.
Max West, our President, shared: “My favorite part of EGL is our community events, especially the End-of-Year Picnic, where we celebrate with food, activities, and the company of inspiring leaders and friends who form the backbone of our community.” Moments like these remind us why EGL is more than just a student society-it’s a supportive network and a place to belong, celebrate, and look ahead together.
EGLs across classes teaming up at community day to support the Refugee Gardens.
Members of the graduating master's class showcasing U-M cups.
An amazing turnout at the end-of-year picnic.
The EGL Senior class at an unforgettable formal.
Tabo putting finishing touches on his Spanish Crema de Catalana at the cultural potluck.
Members gathered around hotpot for Lunar New Year!
A game of headbands in action at the galentine's day event!
Cultural Storytelling
Cultural Storytelling
Cultural Potluck
Our commitment to cultural exchange and celebrating diversity continued this semester with numerous events, including the Cultural Potluck, where members prepared and shared their favorite dishes as a way to talk about their heritage and values. The group got to try foods like Norwegian kannelboller and Spanish Crema de Catalana, among others. As our Cultural Chair, Felix Liu, put it, the potluck was “a celebration of food, stories, and our EGL community - sharing not just the recipes but the histories and traditions behind them.”
Lunar New Year Celebration
This year, we also gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year with a communal hotpot, a traditional Chinese meal where various ingredients like broth, noodles, vegetables, meats, and seafood are cooked together. For many, this was a first introduction to Lunar New Year traditions; for others, it was a chance to relive cherished memories and pass on meaning to new friends. Members shared personal memories tied to the Chinese New Year traditions, including board and card games.
Sharing Narratives
In addition to sharing food, we focused on storytelling in other ways. Ayushi Chowdhury, our DEI Chair, spent the semester interviewing members about their family traditions and personal celebrations. Through these conversations, members shared childhood memories, family photos, and reflections on how their backgrounds continue to influence their values. Ayushi shared, “It was so wholesome seeing the photos and hearing the pride and joy members felt in sharing their heritage. These conversations reminded me how important it is to celebrate the different backgrounds that make up our community. I’m excited to keep this going and continue highlighting the diversity within EGL.”
Ayushi's work reminds us that EGL’s diversity is not just a point of pride, but a source of connection and learning. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and to our chairs for creating these opportunities to celebrate, learn, and connect.
Giving Blueday
Giving Blueday
Giving Blueday was a major highlight for EGL this year, as our community came together to raise over $10,000 through an inspiring day of giving. Thanks to the collective action of members, alumni, families, and friends, we not only surpassed previous records and won three campus-wide challenges, but were also featured in the University Record’s official coverage of Giving Blueday, recognized among more than 150 student organizations making an impact at Michigan.
We are deeply grateful for every donor who contributed to our society’s success this Giving Blueday! Your generosity directly supports scholarships, professional development, and Volunteer Abroad opportunities for our members. We are equally thankful for the alumni, mentors, and friends who give back through ongoing engagement, advice, and encouragement. Your support, in all its forms, is what makes EGL a thriving, connected community and enables our students to grow into global leaders.
Read the full article in The University Record
Justin, our External VP, shared his gratitude: “On behalf of the Engineering Global Leadership Honors Society, we are all extremely grateful for your contributions! Your support is what allows our dear organization to continue to thrive, and it wouldn't be where it is today without you. Not only do you serve as inspiring role models for our students, but your dedication to giving back to the society is truly admirable. Your generosity inspires us and gives me personal excitement about the prospect of joining you as an Alumni. As I embarked on organizing EGL’s largest fundraising effort of the year, I felt the heavy weight of continuing the legacy of success from the past two years. However, seeing the many "Alumni" tags among the donations reminded me of the incredible support from our amazing alumni community, and it reinforced just how impactful and connected you all still are to our mission. Thank you once again for making what we do possible. Your contributions expand our opportunities as we continue to grow and scale each year, fostering the development of even more global leaders within our society.”
Fulfilling his Giving Blueday incentive, Justin pedaled this very tricycle all the way from Central to North Campus!
Justin and Ashton set up another incentive—the dunk tank—and get ready to make a splash post-Giving Blueday!
III. 2025 EGL Tauber Project Placements
III. 2025 EGL Tauber Project Placements
The 2025 Tauber cohort pictured together during Tauber project recruiting!
IV. Graduate Sendoffs
IV. Graduate Sendoffs
We are so proud to celebrate this exceptional group of EGLs who earned their bachelor’s degrees in May/August 2024 and completed their master’s degrees in May 2025. Your dedication, ambition, and unwavering commitment truly exemplify what it means to be leaders and best. Thank you for the incredible impact you've had on this organization as mentors, leaders, and role models to everyone within it. You will be dearly missed, and we can't wait to see the amazing things you accomplish next!
Learn more about their future plans and biggest takeaways here!
Akhil Ramesh
BSE: Biomedical Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Dylan Rich
BSE: Mechanical Engineering
MSE: Mechanical Engineering
Eleanor (Nora) Desmond
BSE: Electrical Engineering
MSE: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Nickolas Hoffman
BSE: Biomedical Engineering
MSE: Medical Product Eng & Dev
Annelise Lemaire
BSE: Chemical Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Nam Le
BSE: Mechanical Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Benjamin (Ben) Collins
BSE: Data Science
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Daniel (Danny) Colón
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Kate Howard
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Alvin Li
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Energy Systems Engineering
Megan Beemer
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Jack Naidrich
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Tori Caracciolo
BSE: Mechanical Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Sebastian Taboada
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Thomas Adelman
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Jaidyn Chauhan
BSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Kion Young
BSE: Aerospace Engineering
MSE: Industrial and Operations Engineering
Namitha Elsa John
BSE: Computer Science
MSE: Systems Engineering & Design
All smiles from our graduating Master’s Class of 2025—cheers to your amazing spirit and achievements!
V. Letter and Requests from Alumni Chair
V. Letter and Requests from Alumni Chair
Reese Liebman, CS '25 / IOE '26
Hello EGL Alumni!
As your new Alumni Chair, I'm committed to fostering deeper connections between alumni and students, and among alumni themselves. On that note, I’m thrilled to announce that we are launching the EGL Alumni Community Slack, a centralized platform for connection, sharing opportunities, and staying engaged. Look forward to an onboarding email from me this Fall!
Additionally, I would like to welcome all alumni to bring fresh perspectives to the Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) and help shape EGL's future. Whether you're interested in a general member role or as a regional lead (openings in Los Angeles, Texas, and more), your experience is invaluable. By joining, you can mentor students, influence programming, connect with fellow alumni, and strengthen our network. If being a part of the AAB interests you, please reach out to me via egl.alumni.chair@umich.edu.
Finally, I want to sincerely thank all alumni and supporters who give back to EGL, whether through donations, mentorship, or simply staying involved and sharing your stories. Your engagement helps power our programming, student opportunities, and the unique culture that defines EGL.
With EGLove,
Reese
What is the Alumni Advisory Board?
The EGL Program and Student Society encourage our alumni to remain actively engaged with the EGL community by advising current students and expanding the off-campus EGL network globally. As of last year, the Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) has redrafted its charter to clearly define its role in improving both alumni-to-alumni and alumni-to-student connections. If you have interest in the open Geographical Lead roles, or otherwise being a part of AAB, please reach out to egl.alumni.chair@umich.edu.
President
Fundraising Chair
Events and Marketing Chair
Industry Chair
General Member
General Member
General Member
General Member
General Member
General Member
Geographical Leads
Texas
Los Angeles
Ann Arbor
Chicago
New York
San Francisco/Bay Area
Seattle
Philadelphia
Dan Adsit (2016)
Dan Kiefer (2013)
Erik Knapp (2017)
Cassie Walls (2007)
Amit Shah (2006)
Katie Bevier (2012)
Jonathon Morof (2016)
Jonathan Opdyke (2000)
Noah Barr (2003)
Nick Tran (2024)
**Currently Open**
**Currently Open**
Shannon Brewer (2000)
Kat Siavelis (2023)
Jayanth Tatikonda (2024)
Adrien Beaufils (2021)
Leila Syal (2019)
Keith Porter (2014)
Questions or comments about EGL or the EGLink? Email us at egl.board@umich.edu
Published by Reese Liebman, 2025 EGL Alumni Chair
EGL Honors Program
251 Chrysler Center
2121 Bonisteel Blvd
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2102
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