’31E Scholar Society

’31E Scholars at the Scholarship Banquet, 2024

’31E Student Society Executive Board (24-25)

President – Marcella Zarouk

Vice President – Thomas Marshall Vielmetti

Treasurer – Jason Yu

 

Pre-Pandemic Gatherings

Among a variety of things, the scholars of ’31E enjoy…

…dinner at Savas (of course anything with food)…

… mentor-mentee dinner at pizza house

 

’31E Class of 2024

Jose is a sophomore from Lebanon, PA (although born and raised in Mexico) majoring in Aerospace Engineering. Additionally, he plans to minor in Astrophysics. During his first year, Jose was part of the Autonomous Robotic Vehicle Project Team (UMARV) in the Embedded Systems sub-team and was chosen by the team to lead the upcoming year’s Embedded Systems team. This upcoming year, he is
looking forward to joining MASA and the Michigan Chess Club. Jose is most passionate about space travel, physics, and programming. He hopes to utilize his skills to help humanity become a multi-planetary species through the development of better space launch systems. In his free time, he likes to learn as much as possible in topics such as physics, languages,
engineering, mathematics, and space travel.

Jose Diaz Peon

Kira Woodhouse is a second-year engineering student studying Biomedical Engineering with minors in Computer Science and International Engineering. She is from Sparta, Michigan, a small town north of Grand Rapids. During her first year, she participated in research with the Shea Lab studying applications of T-Cell Therapy for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer through the Michigan Research and Discovery Scholars (MRADS) program. This year she is continuing her research and has accepted a position as a peer advisor with MRADS, helping first-year students secure research projects. Since October of 2020 she has served as a mentor for Rise Up! for CS, a program run through the School of Information which provides tutoring and mentorship resources to support Black, Latina, and Indigenous high-school girls as they study for their AP Computer Science exams. She is also active within the Science Olympiad club. In her free time, she enjoys reading any books she can get her hands on, caring for her 40+ houseplants, and exploring the Nichols Arboretum with some great Ann Arbor bubble tea. She is incredibly thankful to the scholarship committee for the opportunities becoming a 1931E scholar has offered her.
Kira Woodhouse
Gina Kittleson is a Masters student in Civil Engineering and Intelligent Systems from Ohio.  She is a graduate student researcher in the Digital Water Lab run by Dr. Branko Kerkez where she studies acoustic profiles of pipes in the D.C. Water wastewater treatment facility.  During this summer she presented at the Borchardt Conference and the WEF IWA/IPE Conference.  She looks forward to presenting at the WaterMatex 2023 Conference this fall. During her undergraduate degree at UM, she was the construction lead on the Concrete Canoe Team, a volunteer with Books for a Benefit, and a Women in Science and Engineering Residency Program (WISE RP) alumna.  Outside of school, Gina loves baking, ballet, and gardening.Gina Kittleson

Hanna Chen

’31E Class of 2025

Caroline is a junior from Chapel Hill, North Carolina studying Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering. On campus, she is the Chief Engineer for Michigan Electric Boat, a project team that is working to build a fully electric 21 foot racing boat. She is also a member of Cost Assistance for Resilient Engineers, Quarterdeck society, and a Departmental Ambassador for Engineering 110 classes. Last summer she interned at Newport News Shipbuilding and looks forward to continuing to gain engineering experience in a shipyard. Outside of school she enjoys running, cooking, and watching Michigan sports.

Caroline Kahwati

Anna Klinger
Marisa is a senior from Marine City, Michigan, majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in International Engineering. On campus, she is involved in Michigan Baja Racing, on which she serves on the leadership team as the Logistics Director. In addition to Baja, Marisa is a member of Cost Assistance for Resilient Engineers, Pi Tau Sigma, and the Engineering Honors Program. Last summer, Marisa had the opportunity to work at General Motors as a Manufacturing Engineering Intern in Fuel Cell Module. There, she developed operator guidance support systems for the Gen3 Gamma Fuel Cell build. Previously, Marisa studied abroad in Berlin, Germany to work on a controls project. She applied LQR controller principles to a self-balancing robot, beginning with modeling and simulation of state variables and completing the project with code implementation. In the future, Marisa plans to stay an extra year at the University of Michigan for her Master’s in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation, she hopes to work for a racing team as a race engineer. Outside of class, Marisa enjoys playing volleyball and tennis, hanging out with friends, and going to football and hockey games.

Marissa May

Caleb Qui
Marshall Vielmetti is a Junior from Milwaukee, Wisconsin studying Computer Science with a minor in Electrical Engineering. He is currently the Vice President of the 31E Scholar Society. He previously worked at John’s Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in the Tactical Systems & Prototyping Group as a Software Engineer. He also worked at Menet Aero as a control systems intern, where he worked on the implementation of a GPS denied navigation system for tethered UAS. At Michigan, he is the drone lead for MRover, the Mars Rover team, and was previously a member of the autonomy subteam. In his spare time, he is part of Michigan’s Alpine Ski Team, and has made it to every home football game. Away from school, he enjoys spending time in the outdoors, playing the piano, skiing, and mountain biking. Upon completing his time at Michigan, he hopes to pursue a doctorate in robotics before entering industry.

Marshall Vielmetti

Hey! I am Jason and also the Treasurer for 31E this year. I am a 3rd year computer engineering major and someone who enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and music!

Jason Yu

Marcella is a senior from West Bloomfield, Michigan studying Industrial and Operations Engineering and minoring in Public Policy. After graduating, she will pursue a career in consulting. Marcella is the Student President of 1931E and Secretary of Cost Assistance of Resilient Engineers (CARE). Through both positions, she communicates closely with the ’31E Scholarship Committee, Alumni network, and current Scholars. Through CARE, she actively works to raise money for emergency financial need engineering students. In her free time, she enjoys walking her dog and spending time with friends and family.

Marcella Zarouk

’31E Class of 2026

Alyssa Budweg is a third-year undergraduate student from Northville, MI, majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Statistics. Alyssa is a part of the Engineering Honors Program and is involved in research on the Adaptive Design Team (part of the Multidisciplinary Design Program) as a sub-team lead. In addition to her academics and research, Alyssa is an accomplished tap dancer and member of RhythM Tap Ensemble, where she enjoys expressing creativity at local performances. Alyssa is an active member of Tau Beta Pi, where she enjoys supporting diversity in engineering. She is also Vice President of Cost Assistance of Resilient Engineers (CARE). Working part-time at the M Den with fellow Wolverines has brought Alyssa a new level of appreciation for the University of Michigan’s unique culture and enthusiastic spirit, in addition to meeting fellow students, faculty, and alumni. Outside of academics, research, and Michigan extracurriculars, Alyssa enjoys figure skating, traveling, and spending cherished time with her friends and family.

Alyssa Budwig


Jade Friedlis is a junior from Grand Ledge, Michigan pursuing a major in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Robotics and minors in Art & Design, French and Francophone Studies, and Music. This past summer, Jade interned at Air Products as part of the Mechanical Integrity group where she worked with fracture mechanics, inspection and safety programs, and monitoring systems for HyCO plants and air separation units. On campus, she plays trumpet in the Michigan Marching Band and Basketball Band and is looking forward to conducting part of the Trumpet Ensemble this winter. Jade is also the logistics lead of the Michigan Theme Park Engineering and Design group, where she works on themed engineering projects on campus, traveling around the country to engineering and design competitions and industry conferences. Additionally, she is actively involved in the Society of Women Engineers as Director of Global Engagement, where she is directing the trip to Walchandnagar in Maharashtra, India this May to run a STEM camp at Bharat Children’s Academy. Finally, Jade is passionate about teaching and has worked as a Learning Assistant and Instructional Aide for mechanical engineering courses and is looking forward to working as a Supplemental Instructor this semester. In her free time, Jade loves spending time with her friends and roommates, traveling, and seeing live music.Jade Friedlis

Jacob Robins is a second-year engineering student from Chicago pursuing degrees in Chemical Engineering and Computer Science. This past summer, he worked at the CME Group, the largest futures exchange in the world, as a Software Engineering Intern. On campus, he is part of the Min Research Lab where he leads a project investigating a new type of nano-surface for targeted drug delivery. Jacob helped start Organic Chemistry Bootcamp at Michigan, a program seeking to make Organic Chemistry education more accessible and is also a substitute lab instructor for Organic Chemistry. He is also part of the Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-medical honors society and is a licensed EMT in the state of Michigan. In his free time, Jacob enjoys playing pickup basketball, going on hikes, and seeing friends and family.

Jacob Robins

Samantha “Sammie” Staudinger is an engineering student from Menlo Park, California, studying robotics engineering and computer science. At the heart, Sammie’s interest is at the intersection between robotics and the medical world. She currently conducts research in the Image Guided Medical Robotics Lab at the University of Michigan, where she leads an independent project focusing on human-robot interactions with an eye-imaging robot. In the past, Sammie interned in R&D at Stryker in Virginia, working on augmented reality for computer and machine vision of a spine robot. Beyond research, she serves as President of the Robotics Undergraduate Student Council and as an Instructional Aide for Introduction to Human-Robot Systems and Robotic Mechanism Design. In the very near future, Sammie looks forward to attending graduate school to continue pursuing her interest in medical robotics. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, running with her MRUN family, and getting boba with her friends. Sammie Staudinger
Lillian Trudeau is an undergraduate student from Norwalk, CT studying Industrial and Operations Engineering. She has accepted an offer as an incoming Global Investment Banking Analyst in New York City for Summer 2025 at RBC Capital Markets. On campus, commitments include the Society of Women Engineers, Pi Sigma Epsilon Professional Business Fraternity, and Alpha Phi. She serves as the Chapter President for Alpha Phi. Lily enjoys spending time with her friends, being outdoors, and running.

Lily Trudeau

’31E Class of 2027

Armaan Kamat is an Aerospace Engineering student from Ann Arbor, MI. Armaan is particularly interested in aerospace operations and management. He has worked as a Consulting Intern at AeroDynamic Advisory, a boutique aerospace consulting firm, where he contributed to client engagements in both commercial and defense markets. He has developed an understanding of aerospace industry dynamics and corporate strategy. Armaan is also a part of the Laboratory for Air Transportation, Infrastructure, and Connected Environments (LATTICE) in the aerospace engineering department at U-M. His prior publications include conducting a comprehensive review of the impact of COVID-19 on air traffic control and management, as well as modeling and analyzing aircraft taxi patterns of Southwest Airlines flight during periods of disruption. Most recently, Armaan is involved in a project developing a fleet assignment model to optimize routing for airlines operating hybrid-electric aircraft. He is also the Aerodynamics Lead at M-Fly, where he works with the autonomous team and optimizes the aircraft’s aerodynamic design for the annual competition.  In his free time, Armaan is a Private Pilot, enjoys solving Rubik’s cubes, and watches Formula 1 racing. 
Armaan Kamat


Alison Ryland is a sophomore from Cleveland, Ohio studying Industrial and Operations Engineering and minoring in the International Minor for Engineers. Over the summer, she worked at Riddell Sports, the world’s leading football helmet manufacturer, combining her love of sports and passion for global business operations. Specifically, she worked on projects related to optimizing processes and product operations for Insite Analytics, Riddell’s new in-helmet impact sensors and subscription-based service to transform the future of football. Currently, Ali is recruiting for operations consulting, hoping to solve interdisciplinary problems on a global scale. At UofM, Ali works as the Student Services Assistant in the IOE department and serves at the CARE Corporate Relations chair. Outside of school, Ali is involved in two dance clubs on campus, Impact and EnCore, and also is a member of the finance committee for Dance Mix, the largest dance show on campus. In her free time, Ali enjoys traveling with family and friends, taking long walks outdoors, trying new restaurants, and enjoying all Ann Arbor has to offer. Alison Ryland
Callie Clarkson is an undergraduate student from Virginia Beach, VA studying Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Materials Science and Engineering. This past summer, she was an intern at the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, a non-profit connecting students to aerospace opportunities. In this role, she acted as a mentor for Virginia Space Coast Scholars at NASA Goddard’s Wallops Flight Facility, assisting with facility tours and mission planning. During the summer, she also represented the University of Michigan Radiological Health Engineering Laboratory at the International Health Physics Society Meeting in Orlando. Her previous publications include the design of an autonomous quadcopter for radiological surveying and the use of Tungsten-filled 3D printing filament for radiation shielding applications. During the school year, she is an ATLO Engineer for Michigan’s rocketry project team, the Michigan Aeronautical Science Association, and a part of the Heliophysics Faculty Research Team for the NASA SunRISE mission. She is also on the Professional Development Committee for the Michigan Chapter of AIAA and an Event Supervisor for U-M hosted Science Olympiad Competitions. Outside of school, she enjoys getting lost outdoors, playing sand volleyball, and going on road trips with friends.Callie Clarkson
Joseph Berryman sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering. He likes to spend his free time watching movies, playing sports, going to the gym, and hanging out with his eleven roommates. His desire to pursue engineering came from my interest in advancing the space industry, so he was pretty conflicted between Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering was chosen because of its diversity and its transferable skills to the Aerospace industry. He is a member of MASA, where he works on the structures sub-team and looks forward to getting more involved this semester. After college, he hopes to work at an up-and-coming space company that works to advance our ability to survive in and explore the universe. Joseph Berryman
Kaitlyn Frey

The 31E Scholarship Society is grateful to the Engineering Student Government for providing us funding to continue building the 31E community.