Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Alumni Association will recognize Brendan McKiernan and Dustin Sapp with its Distinguished Young Alumni during this year's homecoming on Sept. 23-24. The recipients were selected from alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years and have shown significant accomplishments in the areas of career achievement, continued education, community service and/or commitment to Rose-Hulman.
Brendan McKiernan
Brendan is a 2007 biomedical engineering graduate who is making a difference through the Alliance for Catholic Education. He has been teaching inner-city youth in New Orleans through the service-through-teaching program, coordinated by the University of Notre Dame.
"My experiences at Rose-Hulman were instrumental in defining my professional educational philosophy," says McKiernan, who earned a master's degree in education from Notre Dame. "At Rose-Hulman, the academic expectations helped me exp
erience and value the idea of challenging yourself in your education. My experience through the Learning Center and being a Resident Assistant showed me the value of asking and answering questions and of community in your education."
McKiernan is currently teaching high school math, developing the Advanced Placement curriculum, and directing the middle-school intramural and interscholastic sports for Holy Cross School in New Orleans.
"Rose-Hulman not only provides excellent academic preparation but also outstanding development as a person and citizen. These are ideals I bring into my classroom daily," McKiernan said.
Dustin Sapp
Dustin is an Indianapolis-based entrepreneur experienced in building and growing software startup companies. He started his first company, NoInk Communications, with classmates during his
junior year on campus.
"One of the things that attracted me to Rose-Hulman is that students are pushed beyond engineering and are taught to be business and community leaders," says Sapp. "The encouragement I received from Tom Mason, Fred Berry and countless others helped
me discover an untapped entrepreneurial passion. Without the Rose-Hulman community I couldn't have enjoyed the career that I have."
NoInk became one of the first tenants of the college's Rose-Hulman Ventures, a program located on the South Campus that brings together outstanding students with technology-based companies. NoInk was sold in 2004 to Silicon Valley-based Everypath. Sapp has gone on to launch two additional startups, including his latest venture TinderBox.
"Ultimately I've spent my career walking through the doors God's opened, and having as much fun as I can along the way," Sapp adds.
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This article, along with other Homecoming News can be found HERE.
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