Katie Jones

Winning an award once is nice; winning 11 years in a row is unique.

In that way, the SDSU American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter had a special summer, as it was honored for the 11th year in a row with the Governor’s Award. This award recognizes the top regional ASCE student chapter in each of nine national regions. SDSU belongs to region seven which has 22 members from South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri.

“This is an incredible 11-year run that reinforces our reputation for hard-working, high-quality students, enriched with an excellent academic program and outstanding support from alumni, local businesses and the institution,” said Richard Reid, assistant dean of engineering and student chapter adviser, in a press release.

To win the award, a student chapter must submit its annual report to the Committee of Student Affairs, a division of the National ASCE Organization.

“This report is a culmination of all the events and activities our chapter was involved in throughout the year,” said Brent Krohn, the former ASCE student president and a civil engineering graduate student.

The 84-member student chapter at SDSU is active in many events and competitions, including two major competitions in which SDSU tests their design of a concrete canoe and a steel bridge. The organization also participates in regional and national conferences and workshops and is active in community service. It hosts several events throughout the year, such as a blood drive each semester and it encourages girls to participate in the sciences through the program “You Go Girl.”

“ASCE benefits engineering students because it is a professional organization that provides multiple programs, educational activities and professional resources to a large network of professional engineers world-wide,” said Brittni Stephens, the president of the ASCE student chapter and a five-year member.

The ASCE student chapter is open to all engineering majors. Upcoming is the annual golf tournament on Sept. 19 at Edgebrook Golf Course. The tournament allows time for social networking between alumni, professional engineers and students.

For more information about the student organization check out its Web site at http://studentorgs.sdstate.org/asce/.

#1.881547:3751230028.jpg:Concrete Canoe.1.jpg:Members of the 2008 SDSU concrete canoe team compete at the regional competition. The concrete canoe is one of many activities in which the SDSU student chapter ASCE participates. The group also hosts a blood drive each semester and encourages girls to participate in the sciences. It is events like these that helped ASCE win the Governor’s Award again this summer for the 11th year in a row.:Courtesy Photo