ECE Undergraduate Vignesh Rajagopal Named USCAA Student-Athlete of the Year

The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) has named Vignesh Rajagopal (EE, 4th year), an Undergraduate in Armour College of Engineering's Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, the Division I Men's Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year. The award was presented to Rajagopal on March 1, 2016 at the USCAA National Championships Banquet in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The award is given to a student-athlete who excels in academics and community involvement and is selected by a committee comprised of National Office members, board members, and member Athletic Directors.

Rajagopal, a junior, balances the role of team captain for men's basketball with a bevy of extra-cirricular and volunteer activities off the court, while maintaining a 3.8 grade point average with his Electrical Engineering coursework. He's taken his success in the classroom to a platform to help others by tutoring for Illinois Tech's Academic Resource Center and for Mt. Carmel Church. Rajagopal also volunteers at The Museum of Science and Industry, where he has given live scientific demonstrations and simulations for all age groups.

He also won Microsoft Chicago's "Hack-a-thon," for designing an automated device with his roommate that allows them to unlock their dorm room using a smartphone app. He also built a water alarm clock based on what he learned in his engineering classes.

Learn more about Rajagopal here.