May 12, 2008

Contact: Amy Hewes
College of Engineering
805-756-6402
ahewes@calpoly.edu

Engineering Honor Society Names a Cal Poly Scholar

The Fellowship Board of Tau Beta Pi, the prestigious engineering honor society, recently announced the selection of Cal Poly mechanical engineering student Kaitlin Spak as a Tau Beta Pi Scholar.

Spak joins 144 Scholars from universities nationwide in receiving a $2000 cash award for study during the 2008-2009 academic year, her senior year at Cal Poly. All Tau Beta Pi Scholarships are awarded on the competitive criteria of high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession. 

“I have been a supporter of sustainability for a long time,” Spak said, “and hope to eventually work at an engineering company doing research and implementation for renewable energy sources.” 

Spak is pursuing a minor in communication studies to accompany her mechanical engineering studies.  “I want to use this combination to figure out technical solutions to some of today’s challenges, and then be able to communicate these solutions to others,” Spak said. 

Her aspirations include obtaining a master’s degree from Cal Poly, as well as a Professional Engineering license. In the meantime, Spak remains a lively Mustang. She was recently elected as a College of Engineering representative on the ASI Board of Directors, in addition to being the president-elect of the Cal Poly equestrian team. Spak has served as a WOW leader, a mentor for the Vista Host program, a member of the Honors Program and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. 

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