Outstanding Student Awards
Each year, the BSE department selects an Outstanding Student from each undergraduate class and from each graduate degree level. Outstanding Students are nominated based on their academic achievement and are invited to submit materials describing their activities and achievements in academics, service to the department and university, service to the community, extracurricular participation, and leadership roles. The BSE Awards committee evaluates the material and selects the outstanding students to honor. It is a very difficult job for the Awards Committee to select just a few students because there are so many great students in BSE.
Each outstanding student award includes a plaque and a cash award made possible through the generosity of Dr. Saied Mostaghimi, a past department head, and his wife, Dr. Patty Mostaghimi. The Mostaghimis established an endowed fund in 2010 and specified that the proceeds of that fund be awarded to BSE Outstanding students each year.
2025 Outstanding Student Award Recipients
Katie Wardinski
Katie has distinguished herself through a combination of academic excellence, innovative research, and dedicated service. During her time in the department, she has published in top-tier journals, secured prestigious fellowships such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and NSF INTERN Fellowship, and independently led a funded research project through the Virginia Water Center.
Her Ph.D. work features complex field and lab studies on organic carbon mobilization, including storm-chasing and groundwater fluctuation experiments. Additionally, her impactful internship with the USGS led to the development of new lab procedures and presentations to key stakeholders. Beyond research, Katie has shown strong leadership as President of the BSE Graduate Student Organization and served on multiple advisory boards, significantly enhancing the graduate student experience at Virginia Tech.
Reilly Oare
Emma (Reilly) Oare is a rising leader in environmental engineering whose work bridges cutting-edge technology and ecological stewardship. Her interdisciplinary work applies AI and machine learning to assess streambed habitat quality, significantly improving predictions of fine sediment levels across Virginia and the U.S. She has analyzed massive datasets from the Virginia DEQ and the EPA, and her research has already outperformed previous models in predictive accuracy.
Reilly earned an Undergraduate Research Grant and the prestigious Leo Bourassa Scholarship, and she has presented her findings at major conferences, including AEES and AGU. She is a coauthor on a peer-reviewed article in Frontiers in Water and is contributing to two more journal publications. Her outreach efforts include engaging hundreds of visitors at Virginia Tech’s Science Festival and mentoring underrepresented youth through Hokie for a Day. Reilly’s blend of technical skill, leadership, and community engagement makes her a standout scholar and role model.
Reilly Oare was also selected as the College of Engineering Outstanding Masters student.
April Sayers
April’s academic journey is nothing short of impressive. After earning her associate’s degree in high school and completing a semester at George Mason University, she transferred to Virginia Tech as a sophomore. Excelling in her studies, she graduated with a degree in BSE along with minors in Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences.
She was also a distinguished student in Virginia Tech’s Defense Civilian Training Corps—a competitive, two-year scholarship-for-service fellowship, where she fully embodying Virginia Tech’s motto, Ut Prosim.
Beyond academics, April was deeply engaged in research, leadership, and the arts. She participated in an REU program for biomedical research after her sophomore year and has since contributed to undergraduate research in Dr. Wright’s lab. An ambassador for her program, she also found time to coach high school winter guard teams, worked to support her education, and actively participated in New Life Christian Fellowship. A passionate musician, she played in both the Blacksburg Community Band and the Campus Band.
Read more about April's story
Megan Luczko
Megan is an accomplished junior at Virginia Tech, minoring in Spanish. Since her arrival, she has consistently earned a spot on the Dean’s List and maintains a perfect in-major GPA. Last spring, she expanded her academic horizons by studying abroad in Spain, where she completed courses in Deforms, Dynamics, Differential Equations, Engineering Ethics, and Spanish.
Beyond academics, Megan has engaged in diverse research experiences, analyzing sediment composition and exploring economic processes for protein recovery. She is an active member of ASABE, contributes to the electronics sub-team of the Fountain Wars competition, and serves as the Academic Development Officer of Kappa Alpha Theta. In addition, she was a collegiate varsity heptathlete during her freshman year, demonstrating her dedication both academically and athletically.
Keira Mcmurry
Keira has thrived academically at Virginia Tech while making a meaningful impact beyond the classroom. As a residential wellbeing student leader, she dedicates at least 20 hours per week to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment within on-campus housing communities.
She is also an active member of Theta Tau, where she has engaged in numerous volunteer initiatives. Her commitment to both service and scholarship was recently recognized with a nomination for academic chair, reflecting her dedication to student success and leadership.