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Matt Foto,
Aviation

Any fun hobbies? Any chance I can get, I’ll make the trip to the New River gorge or the Red River to camp and rock climb.

How do you plan to create for the greater good? I want to become part of the safe and innovative future of aviation. For my fairly distant future, I hope to someday get into a major airline and be able to travel internationally.

Any plans for next year? I’ll stay employed by Ohio University and continue my aviation career as a flight instructor, teaching students how to fly a plane!

Why engineering? My grandpa, along with most of family, have always been engineers, so that’s something that I’ve looked up to. Although none of them have gone the aviation route, I’ve had a great amount of support along the way.

Any fun summer plans? This summer I have an internship with Ohio University’s Avionics Engineering Center, being second-in-command in a King Air 350.

Gabby Miller,
Electrical Engineering

Any summer plans? I’ll be working as an electrical engineering intern at Northrop Grumman in Palmdale, California, in the aerospace division. I interned as a ride control engineer at The Walt Disney Company last fall.

Fave thing about the Russ College? The Russ College has helped me create so many opportunities. Professors care about how you’re doing in your classes and are also invested in what you want to do in the future. The organizations allow you to interact with different students and travel to different events, so you can grow professionally and personally.

Any extra activities for next year? I’ll continue my involvement in the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. I recently was inducted into Eta Kappa Nu, the electrical engineering honor society.

What does creating for the greater good mean to you? Creating for good means ensuring whatever project I work on is safe for others. Creating for good also helps people, whether it be physically or emotionally. I’m not completely sure what I want to do, but when I was at Disney, I worked on attractions that brought joy to guests, and I got to witness that first hand.

What’s one fun fact about you? I love science fiction — and not just the intergalactic kind. I actually took a science fiction class here!

Erin Milligan,
Civil Engineering

Why engineering? I came into school as an undecided engineering student. A course called “Writing about Literature as Social Action in Appalachia” prompted me to study civil engineering. The course required me to think critically about poverty, which is a result of the history of exploitative coal mining operations in this region. I was fascinated by how studies on the hydrogeological environment could be used to combat the cycle of pollution.

School plans for next year? I’ll continue to serve as the president of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, which I helped start. Our goal is to implement a sustainability project on campus. I’m also looking forward to participating in more K-12 STEM education outreach through Chi Epsilon, the civil engineering honor society.

Any activities outside the classroom? I play co-ed competitive intramural soccer for fun. Last fall, my 7v7 team won the championships. Soccer is big in my family — I’ve played since I was a little kid.

Any summer plans? I’m working with Professor of Civil Engineering Guy Riefler on the design and implementation of a pilot-scale remediation facility, which will sustainably treat acid mine drainage. My research goals are motivated by my desire to provide clean soil and water for the vibrant communities I’ve encountered in southeastern Ohio.

Evan Streator,
Chemical Engineering

Fave thing about Athens? The community is close and very welcoming. It’s easy to get involved with those who call Athens their permanent home. This close interaction between the university and surrounding area is what helps develop us students into community leaders for wherever we end up in life.

New plans for next year? This coming year, I’m the vice president of the Engineering Honors Society, Tau Beta Pi. I’ll help create events and programs that lift up the Russ College and give back to students. The college has given me so much that I want to do what I can to repay it.

How will you create to make a lasting impact? Use my engineering knowledge and skills to tackle some of the toughest problems society faces. Engineers at their core are problem solvers. My dream career would be one where I’m working to solve the issue of single-use plastic waste. Whether it be through the use of biotechnology, material development, or some other method, I want to help eliminate plastic waste from our earth and help replace it with a more sustainable alternative.

Any fun hobbies? Cooking is definitely my hobby. Everything from breads, desserts, and full meals – I just love it. The creativity behind building your own recipes and seeing how they evolve each time you make them is what I enjoy most.

Holly Fox,
Computer Science

Why OHIO? What really brought me to OHIO was the sense of community and the overall feeling that both professors and students support each other in and out of the classroom, striving for success for everybody.

How will you create for the greater good? I want to use my tech and development skills to create tools and opportunities to help people connect and grow together through technology.

Any guilty pleasures? Lately I’ve been really into baking – cakes, cookies and breads, you name it! I love making, decorating, and of course, taste-testing all sorts of sweets!

Cool summer plans? I’ll be working as an information technology intern as a part of Fifth Third Bank’s leadership program, with their security engineering department in downtown Cincinnati.

Any new activities for next year? I hope to still be active in intramural soccer, as well being a Learning Community leader.

Nicholas Momenee,
Energy Engineering

Any summer plans? This summer I plan to work as a Bobcat Student Orientation leader for the Russ College. Then, when that’s over, I’ll continue my undergraduate research up at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service working on the production of methane gas from the process of anaerobic digestion.

Fave thing about Athens? I love Athens for its drive to be a locally sustainable community, from all of the farmers’ markets, to all the restaurants and grocery stores that sell mainly organic food grown around the area. I came to Athens for the small-town feel and big-city vibe.

Picking up any activities next year? Next year I’m continuing my current activities, which include being in the Ohio University Marching 110 and an active member of Tau Beta Pi, and continuing my undergraduate research. This will be my fourth year in the band playing trombone, and I’ll also be on the teaching staff as a dance commander.

One thing that most people don’t know about you? I went to a performing high school where I majored in trombone performance. That’s where I picked up my few dance and visual art skills, but I eventually decided to go into engineering for the problem-solving aspects.

Samantha Haning,
Engineering Technology and Management

Fave thing about the Russ College? The Russ College is one of the top engineering colleges in the nation, so I couldn’t pass up an opportunity this big in my own backyard. The faculty here are really invested in each student’s success and are always available to talk about any subject.

What are some interesting facts about you? I used to be a deejay. I love music, and I’m a beginner piano and guitar player. Music is the one thing that all people can connect with, no matter their background or situation, and I love that something so simple can bring the world together.

How do you want to create for the greater good? I’m looking at becoming a safety engineer, with a focus on manufacturing, to guarantee that employees working in the manufacturing setting are safe at all times.

Why the Russ College? Besides being a renowned college, it felt like home as soon as I stepped through the doors. I’m thankful every day that I picked such an amazing career path to pursue, and that the Russ College has provided me the opportunities that I’ve needed along the way.

Alvin Paul Chaney,
Industrial and Systems Engineering

Any summer plans? A summer internship with a full-service contract manufacturing company in Cincinnati. They specialize in supporting aerospace, defense, power generation, and commercial industry needs for specialty machine equipment and components.

Any light bulb moments that made you decide to go into engineering? When I was in grade school, I participated in the University of Cincinnati (UC) Math Summer Placement Camp each year. In fifth grade, I proposed that a robotics competition geared toward high schoolers at the time be tailored for children my age. It’s now a competition supported by UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, and the National Technical Association. The committee surprised me with an award in my honor, called the A.P. Chaney Perseverance Award, for an individual or team who overcame their obstacles.

Fave thing about OHIO? As a Templeton Scholar, I’m honored to be a part of a strong and rich legacy that Mr. John Templeton established for OHIO so long ago. We’re taught to develop into academically achieving leaders who serve the community with respect, honor and humility. The picturesque landscapes of the Hocking Hills are a constant reminder of my parents’ humble beginnings in West Virginia. I also respect the hard work of my professors, who go out of their way to help and enhance my knowledge every day.

Any plans for next year? I’ll return for a second year in the Presidential Leaders Society. I want to grow in the areas of public speaking and relationship building. I’ll also use my leadership skills to demonstrate strong servant-leadership, mentorship, and humility characteristics.

Moeto Sasaki, Mechanical Engineering

Why engineering? I had fun building a bookshelf out of bed planks and ceiling fans during high school. I also learned about how heated water produced as a waste product by power plants can be used to quickly grow fish. Using ingenuity to create worth from worthless, if not harmful, products piqued my interests toward engineering.

Fave place to eat in Athens? The food at Shively Hall is amazing.

How do you want to “create for good?” I want to work with sustainability that not only reduces waste but converts it into useful products.

Any aspirations for the future? I want to start a small business.

Fun summer plans? I plan to visit some colleges in Japan.