2007 Scholarship Winners

The Major General Frank Barnes scholarship, which comes with an award of $1500, was presented to five outstanding area students. 

Kendre DiPietro is majoring in Civil Engineering at University of Dayton and maintains a 3.8 College GPA.  She is a member of the SAME Student at UD, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Society of Women Engineers.  She works as a Women in Engineering camp counselor, research assistant in the UD Environmental lab, and as a co-op for Stark County Engineer’s Office and Marathon Oil. 

Judson Ryckman is majoring in Electrical Engineering and Physics at Vanderbilt University where he is on the Dean’s List with high honors.  He is also a SAME Student member and worked as an AFIT Intern in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering last year.  He held a year long research position studying post-traumatic stress effects of war and participates in the Venture Scouts Leadership Program as an Eagle Scout.  Judson’s father, S. James Ryckman Jr., is a civil and environmental engineer at Air Force Materiel Command and a long-time member of the SAME Kittyhawk Post.

Mary Horwath will graduate #4 in her class at Alter High School.  She is a National Merit Commended Scholar, Mini-Medical School attendee at Wright State University, President of the Art and Astronomy Clubs, and is a cross country runner, kick-boxer and Aikido athlete.  She plans to major in Biology next year.  Mary’s father, John Horwath is an electrical engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Deepika Chona is the salutatorian of Beavercreek High School’s class of 2007.  She is a National Merit Commended Scholar, National Honors Society member, BHS Math Club vice-president, volunteer aide in the Miami Valley Hospital “Volunteen” Program and an avid piano player.  She will major in Biological Sciences (Pre-Med) next year.  Deepika’s father, Ravinder Chona, is Director of the Structural Sciences Center at the Air Force Research Laboratory. 

Julianne Gould is currently majoring in Mechanical Engineering at California Institute of Technology.  She is a member of the Caltech Women’s Basketball Team and was the class of 2006 Salutatorian from Beavercreek High School.  She is a current member of National Society of Black Engineers and Society of Women Engineers on campus and is a pianist/accompanist.  Julianne’s father, Lt Col Patrick Gould (ret) is the Deputy Chief of Cyber and Information Operations at the Air Force Research Laboratory. 

Colleen Judge was awarded the Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon scholarship, worth $1000.  She is a 4.0 GPA student at Oakwood High School, a National Merit Semi-finalist, and President of the class of 2007.  She was Captain of the Field Hockey team and a Varsity Softball player.  As founder of The Giving Strings Orchestra, she was recognized as Ohio’s volunteer of the Year 2005.  She is headed to Princeton University, majoring in Engineering.

Zachary Miller won the $1000 Woolpert scholarship.  He is #3 in the 2007 Alter High School graduating class, and is a National Merit Finalist, member of the Alter Basketball, Volleyball and Golf teams, and is a youth basketball coach and peer minister.  Zachary will be majoring in Chemical Engineering at University of Notre Dame.

Curtis Sinewe was awarded the $1000 Four Seasons Environmental scholarship for the second year.  Curtis is an Air Force ROTC cadet at the University of Toledo where he maintains a 4.0 GPA in Chemical Engineering.  He worked as a research co-op at WPAFB last year, and he volunteers as a First Year Rocket Engineers student member, and with Math Counts and the Cub Scouts.

Angela Holmen was a third-time recipient of the LJB Scholarship, worth $1000.  Angela is currently a Chemical Engineering major at the University of Dayton, where she maintains a 3.96 GPA and was selected for the Schenck Memorial Award for the Outstanding Junior in Chemical Engineering.  She is a member of the University's Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Horn Choir, Horn quartet, and Orchestra. She is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers. Angela is the daughter of Tim and Connie Holmen. Mr. Holmen is a retired Air Force Officer with three previous assignments at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Eric Harper won the Environmental Quality Management Scholarship, worth $1000.  Eric is a 4.0 student at Oakwood High School, a National Merit Finalist, and was named Outstanding Chemistry Student in Dayton Area.  He participates on the tennis team, and is a section leader in the marching, jazz, and concert band. He also plays in the Five Rivers Metroparks Metroband and is a coach and mentor of FIRST Lego League.  He will major in Chemical Engineering at University of Dayton next fall.  Eric’s father, Steven Harper, is an aerospace engineer at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.

The Timothy A. Curtis scholarship, which comes with a $500 award, was presented to 1Lt Nathan Taylor and SPC Jennifer Montijo, both members of SAME.  Lt Taylor is a Systems Integration Engineer at the Aeronautical Systems Center on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.  He is actively pursuing a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering thru Wright State University.  SPC Montijo is an active duty Army specialist currently serving in Iraq.  Even while deployed she is working towards her Bachelors of Science in Computer Engineering and Science through Franklin University.
.

 Science Fair
Each year the Kittyhawk Post presents two awards at the West District Science Day. One award is given for the best environmental science project. This environmental award is dedicated in memory of Eric Su Yong, son of Lt Col (Retired) and Mrs. Mark Goltz. The second award is presented for the best engineering project.
West District Science Day was held at Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio on Saturday, 17 March 2007. The Eric Su Yong Goltz Environmental Award was won byMatthew Curliss, a 10th grader at Carroll High School, for his project “Analyzing Bismaleimide Composite Degradation in Alkaline Landfill Conditions.”   Jack Minardi, an 11th grader at Carroll High School, won the engineering award for his project “Least Mean Squares Algorithm Image Production of Actual SAR Data”.  Each winner received a $200 savings bond.  Congratulations!

GEM Award
The Post annually presents an award to the graduate of the Air Force Institute of Technology's Graduate Engineering Management (GEM) Program who best exemplifies academic achievement, leadership, and character. The 2007 award winner was Capt Vhance V. Valencia. Congratulations!

Back to Top