Student Employees Honored

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Four Florida Institute of Technology student employees were honored at the recent 2009 Student Employee of the Year Awards. The annual ceremony recognizes outstanding students and their contributions to the university. Students who earn recognition show balance between academics, work and community involvement.

Victor Conde, who works for University College, received the Best Work Study award and Pa Alie Koroma, employed through the Space Coast Early Intervention Center (SCEIC), received the Best Off-campus Student Employee award.

Conde, from Islip, N.Y., actively participates in the Chi Phi fraternity on campus and will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical science with flight. Alie Koroma, of Lanham, Md., is a freshman studying international business and is the SCEIC assistant to the executive director. The center is a nationally recognized therapeutic preschool designed specifically to support young children challenged by disabilities.

Cremer, a College of Aeronautics (COA) student, received the Best On-campus Student Employee award. He assists with the day-to-day running of the COA office and is a member of the Chi Phi fraternity. In the past, Cremer has helped run food drives, assisted in the local Under 10 Little League Soccer and volunteered with Special Olympics. Upon graduation in May, he will begin master’s work researching alternative 
environmentally safe aircraft fuels and creating sustainable airports at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.

Receiving the Co-op Student of the Year award is Richard DeRoy, a senior in aerospace engineering from St. Cloud, Fla. DeRoy worked for NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, as an aerospace propulsion engineer. His duty was to perform a conceptual design and analysis of lox-methane propellant use for a lunar lander descent stage. He also performed design work on a rocket engine test stand for the White Sands Test Facility. DeRoy will receive his bachelor’s degree this December.

All award winners were honored in a ceremony on April 15. In addition to receiving plaques, the students received $125 scholarships donated by Coca-Cola.

PHOTO: Victor Conde receives the Best Work Study Award from Regine Diehl,

manager, student services, and Gary Hamme, vice provost for enrollment management.