STUDENT MEMBERS:
Membership in SOAR is open to any student who wants to be involved with the IIT Alumni Association. All students have the opportunity to join the group and participate, no matter if they are currently involved with other groups on campus or not./p>
The current members of SOAR represent almost every dimension of our student population. Our group includes men and women, a variety of majors, domestic and international students, and more.
To become a member, you need to submit an application to the Office of Alumni Relations. Once the application is received, it will be reviewed, and a member of the Alumni Relation staff will follow-up with the applicant. Click here to submit an application.
Current Members:
Ayesha Akhtar is a second year architecture student from Pakistan. She currently lives and works in the McCormick Student Village (MSV) residence halls. After graduation, Ayesha is looking to return to Pakistan and be a social worker.
Renee Arrowood is a second year double major in Psychology and Business currently living in the McCormick Street Village residence halls. She is from Palm Bay, Florida and is a member of Kappa Phi Delta Sorority. Renee also works for the IIT Phonathon. After graduation, she is interested in pursuing a career in Human Resources.
Patrick Bauer is a third year Aerospace Engineering commuter student from Bridgeview, Illinois. He currently works in the McCormick Street Village residence halls as well as an IIT Phonathon caller. Upon graduation, Pat wants to focus on Aerospace design.
Rahul Dronamraju is a fourth year Psychology major, from Hyderbad, India, who lives off campus. He is involved Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and he has served other organizations in the past including Student Government Association, Residence Hall Association, WIIT (IIT Radio), and Greek Council. After graduation, he wants to join the Marine Corps and come back to IIT to finish a graduate degree.
Brad Ford Brad Ford is a fifth year Architecture student, living on campus in the Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity house working as an elder member giving guidance to the chapter and helping them with their office and as a Brother of the chapter . Brad is from Deerfield, Illinois, and is Sports Chair for Student Government and Greek Week Chair of Greek Council.
Caitlin Hubbard is a second year Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics Major (MBB) originally from Leonard, Michigan. She is currently living in McCormick Student Village and is a member of Air Force ROTC. In addition to serving as this year's Student Government Vice President of Academics, she is also involved with Honors Medical Society and ROTC Honor Guard. After graduation, she wants to be an Air Force surgeon.
Xuan Kang is a third year, Biomedical Engineering student who lives in McCormick Student Village. She is an international student from Beijing, China. She is currently a Camras Scholar, a member of Tau Beta Pi Honors Engineering Society, and the Math Club. Xuan is involved with DNA research in the BCPS department and also with the University of New Mexico cancer research program in the summer. After graduation, she is going to go to medical school or pursue a Ph.D.
Joe Kirsch is a fourth year Architecture student currently living in the Triangle Fraternity house who is originally from Slinger, Wisconsin. Joe is a Heald scholar, and he is involved with the T.R.A.C. club, Student Government, and Haiti Outreach. Joe also works in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and is and Vice President for Architecture That Matters. After graduation, he is looking to start his own architecture firm.
Ellen Kloppenborg is a second year Chemical Engineering student living in McCormick Student Village who is originally from Davenport, Iowa. She is a Camras Scholar and is involved with the AIChE Department as well as with the Camras Student Advisory Board. After graduation, she wants to be a Chemical Engineer.
Shea Lemley, from Madison, Alabama, is a fourth year Psychology student who is graduating in December. Currently, Shea is living at the Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority house. Shea serves as a Student Government Association (SGA) Senator, a member of PsiChi (NHS for Psychology), and works as a Barista at Global Grounds Café, the campus coffee house owned by alumna Ellen Jordan Reidy. After graduation, she wants to teach English abroad in South Korea and Latin America.
Brandon Lloyd is a fourth year Aerospace Engineering student who lives in State Street Village and who is originally from Plano, Texas. He is a Camras, Heald, and Leadership Academy Scholar, and he is serving as the newly elected Student Government Association President. He also is a founder of the Strike Force Bowling Society, and he helped to lead the campaign to Bring Back the BOG. After graduation, he wants to work for NASA, where he worked over summer.
Shanon Ludden, from Rhode Island, is a second year Electrical and Computer Engineering student living in the McCormick Student Village residence halls. He currently works in McCormick Tribune Campus Center (MTCC). During spring break in 2007, he volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. During the 2008 Spring semester, Shanon will be studying abroad in France.
Rohan Mathews is a third year Electrical Engineering major from India. He currently lives in the McCormick Student Village residence halls, but he has also lived in Uganda, Senegal, and Dubai. Rohan is President of the Dance Club, a member of IEEE (his professional engineering society), and the Robotics Club. He was also on the team that built a trebuchet and won the Pumpkin Launch competition last year. After graduation, he will pursue an advanced degree, in Chicago, in EE and possibly a Master of Business Administration degree.
Erin Mersch is a fourth year Business Administration major, Construction Management minor student living in the Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority House. Erin is a native of Chicago. She is member of American Society of Civil Engineers and 33rd Street Productions (theater group), and she works for the Campus Bookstore. After graduation, she wants to work in construction management.
Sudeep Neelakantan is a second year Physics major originally from Cochin, India, who is a recipient of an International Student Scholarship. After graduation, he wants to get a Ph.D. and to pursue research in Physics.
Harshil Parikh is a second year Electrical Engineering student from Baroda, India. He is a current member of Scarlet Fever, the IIT Sprit Team.
Sara Sustersic is a third year Business Administration major from Palos Hills, Illinois. She is a member of Kappa Phi Delta sorority, Union Board, IIT Entrepreneurship Academy, and the Ed Kaplan Entrepreneurship Fellow Program. After graduation, she is hoping to work as a financial analyst or manager while pursuing a master's degree in Business Administration.
Alejandro Taboada is a fourth year Aerospace Engineering and international student from Puebla, Mexico. He is a member of the Student Senate for Armour College and a member of Academic Affairs Committee. He also serves as a Resident Advisor and as an Activity Coordinator for Aspect Language Academy. After graduating, he wants to attend graduate school and eventually work to start up a company for the design of propulsion systems and/or spacecraft.
Henrietta “Etta” Tsosie is a third year Mechanical Engineering student from Klagetoh, Arizona, who is currently living in McCormick Student Village. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, IIT Women's Advisory Board, and is an IIT Ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. She wants to work for a car related company after graduation, and she worked for the National Science Foundation in Washington over the summer.
SOAR Alumni:
Elizabeth Bilitz is a recent Material Science and Engineering graduate. Liz graduated in May 2007 with her undergraduate degree, and she is pursuing a Master's degree at IIT. Liz is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and is involved with many different organizations on campus including Kappa Phi Delta and the Women's Cross Team. She is also a teaching assistant for a Materials lab and is an intern at A. Finkl and Sons. Her father, Mark Bilitz, is an alumnus from IIT's Institute of Design.
Tom Glennon is a fourth year in Mechanical Engineering student graduating in December 2007. Originally from Darien, Illinois, Tom pursued his education at IIT because both his parents, Thomas and Catherine, are IIT alumni. Tom is a member of the IIT Varsity Baseball Team, a little league umpire, and he works at Invsys Appliance Control. After graduation, he is going to pursue a job in his field.
Abhinav “Sunny” Hasija is a third year Business Administration – Finance student. Sunny is originally from New Delhi, India, and he is an international student at IIT. Currently, Sunny is a Resident Advisor and is involved with the Entrepreneurship Academy. After graduation, he wants to go to IIT - Stuart School of Business to study Finance or Marketing.
Shilpi Seth is a fourth year Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics major from Phoenix, Arizona. Shilpi is a Camras and Heald scholar. He is involved the Honor Medical Society and the Indian Students Association, and he serves as the Secretary of the American Red Cross Club. Currently, Shilpi does Pharmacology research at Rush Medical and would like to go to medical school after graduation.
Jonathan Tam is a first year Civil Engineering graduate student. He is originally from Chicago, but he has lived in Hong Kong. Last year, he led the fundraising campaign for the Class of 2007 class gift, which was a new bench added to campus. He also was a member of IIT's Entrepreneurship Academy and is a member of American Society for American Engineers.
