Out of the nation’s top electrical engineering students, recent Auburn University graduate Sara Kouroupis has been named the winner of the Alton B. Zerby and Carl T. Koerner Outstanding Student Award.
The award is presented each year to an electrical and computer engineering student that can be described as “outstanding by virtue of scholastic excellence and high moral character, coupled with demonstrated exemplary contributions to classmates, school, and community,” according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers website.
The award is given through the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers international honor society, Eta Kappa Nu.
Kouroupis was nominated by the Department Head of Electrical and Computer Engineering Robert Nelms.
“I knew Sara was outstanding academically,” Nelms said. “But she also had a number of extracurricular activities she was involved in that helped push her over the top.”
Kouroupis was nominated in May and received an email in August signifying she was one of the six finalists.
“At first I thought it was a mistake,” Kouroupis said. “But then I was really excited because Auburn hasn’t had a winner in a really long time.”
Kouroupis is the second Auburn University student to ever earn the award - the first was in 1980.
“It shows that our students are excellent and competitive and can be compared to any other school in the country,” said Michael Baginski, associate professor in electrical and computer engineering and one of the professors Kouroupis chose to write her recommendation letter.
Not only was Kouroupis the second Auburn University student to ever win the award, but she was also the only female finalist.
“I hope this motivates undergradutes, especially women to inspire and encourage them to pursue their career and not be intimidated by a male dominated field,” Kouroupis said.
The six finalists were from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Missouri University of Science and Technology, the University of Delaware, the University of North Dakota and the University of California Berkeley.
“I believed she had a very strong chance when I nominated her,” Nelms said. “When I received the email asking for nominations in the spring I immediately thought of Sara.”
Kouroupis is completing graduate school currently at Johns Hopkins University and said she hopes the award will give her more opportunities in the professional field.
“Having it on my resume that I won the award will hopefully help me stand out against other graduate students and help me with job opportunities,” Kouroupis said.
The Alton B. Zerby and Carl T. Koerner Outstanding Student Award is presented in March at the annual meeting of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association which will be held in La Jolla, California this year.
“I am hoping and trying to go to the meeting,” Nelms said. “I have another meeting on the coast at the same time.”
Baginski said he has great hopes of a bright future for Kouroupis.
“She is certain to be liked by everyone she meets,” Baginski said. “The sky is the limit for her.”
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