Engineering Management Student Wins First-Year Grad Student of the Year Award

Gill Iradukunda recently won the Cornell Diversity Programs in Engineering First Year Graduate Student of the Year Award.  These students of the year awards recognize students who have made a significant contribution to DPE, the College of Engineering, and the others by demonstrating initiative and positively contributing to the college’s climate toward diversity. This award is especially significant because Gill is completing his M.Eng. degree remotely from California in the Engineering Management Online Learning Program. Gill is always focused on building community and helping students both in and out of the classroom. 

"It is truly humbling and an honor to be elected the First-Year Graduate Student of the Year”, said Gill Iradukunda. 

Gill has traveled from Los Angeles to Ithaca several times since he began his studies in Summer 2021. This past weekend, Iradukunda flew from Los Angeles to attend the Cornell Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award event in honor of Robert F. Smith, CBE '85 and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. Iradukunda is a member of several professional organizations and is actively involved in efforts to improve the field of engineering. During the question-and-answer part of the Distinguished Alumni Award event, Gill spoke about his idea to provide pro bono engineering services to underserved communities. 

Iradukunda stated, "I have been working as an engineer for 8 years now and I know how expensive engineering fees can be, and how unaffordable they are for those who are already struggling financially, and the fact that lawyers around the world participate in life changing pro-bono services became my inspiration."

Thank you, Gill, for all your contributions to the Engineering Management program and the Cornell community.