College of Engineering and Applied Sciences honors alumni at annual awards ceremony

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences is pleased to announce its 2026 Spire Award, Alumni Excellence Award and Emerging Alumni Award recipients.  

“It is a privilege to recognize these outstanding alumni and welcome them back to campus,” says Dr. Steve Butt, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “Their accomplishments reflect not only professional excellence, but also a commitment to innovation, leadership and service. They exemplify the impact that WMU engineers and applied scientists have in their industries and communities, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.”

On Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences will honor 14 outstanding alumni. In addition to being celebrated at the awards ceremony, Alumni Excellence Award recipients are featured on the Wall of Fame in Floyd Hall, home to the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.  

2026 College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Alumni Award Recipients

• Spire Award: Dr. Richard Hartman, B.S.'77

Alumni Excellence Award

• Muhammad Akhtar, M.S.’69/’24
• Brian Beaver, B.S.’94
• Dr. John O. Hallquist, B.S.E.’70
• Dr. John Kapenga, B.S.’74, M.A.’78, Ph.D.’85
• Thomas Klemz, B.S.’84
• Harish Krishnamurthy, M.S.E.’02
• Dr. Deepak R Menon, B.S.E.’06, M.S.E.’08, Ph.D.’11

Emerging Alumni Award

• JustOne Crosby, B.S.E.’20
• Ramsey Elshafei, B.S.E.’15
• Dr. Alex Ferguson, B.S.E.’16, M.S.E.’17
• Jarret Geering, B.S.E.’18
• Olivia Jennings, B.S.E.’15
• Greg Neff, B.S.E.’14, M.S.E.’16 

Learn more about our 2026 Alumni Award recipients.