The 2012 Annual Undergraduate Viterbi Awards were held May 8 at Town & Gown and a number of outstanding undergraduate Biomedical Engineers received awards!
Heather Chen has been named the Viterbi School of Engineering Valedictorian for 2012. She is the recipient of the Archimedes Circle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Scholarship and will address the class of 2012 at the Viterbi Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 11.
Heather also received the Fred S. Grodins Award for Excellence in Biomedical Engineering. This award recognizes a graduating senior for outstanding academic achievement in the BME program.
Heather established a remarkable academic record in her four years at USC. In addition to these outstanding marks, she worked in Dr. Ellis Meng’s BioMEMs lab for several years, concentrating on a drug delivery device project. In addition, her position as associate editor at Illumin allowed her to grow as a leader. Through her ongoing work with Trojan Health Volunteers and the Community Health Involvement Project, she has given back to the community while also supporting her drive towards medical school; next year, she will enroll at UC San Diego.
Jasmine Thum received the Viterbi Award for Outstanding Achievement in Leadership. The winner of this award is selected on the basis of outstanding leadership and participation in school, department, and/or society functions. 
Jasmine has served as the President of ASBME for the past two years; in this time, the student organization has received a “Tommy” as the Most outstanding student organization at USC, as well as twice being named the outstanding student organization in the Viterbi School of Engineering. In addition to ASBME, Jasmine has been active as a Viterbi Student Ambassador, the Society of Women Engineers, Associated Trustee & Presidential Scholars, as well as volunteering in Honduras with Global Medical Brigades. She also created an organization, HOPE (Helping Overcome Project Expenses), designed to implement ideas created in WRIT 340 classes. Jasmine will receive her Bachelors and Masters in Biomedical Engineering this May and will start medical school at Harvard in the fall.
Augusto Alonso received the Albert Dornan Future Leader Award. This award recognizes a high level of academic success 
and those personal qualities which would lead one to be selected as the graduating senior “most likely to succeed” in the future.
In addition to maintaining an outstanding GPA in Biomedical (Mechanical) Engineering, Augusto also walked on to the USC Varsity Football team during his sophomore year. This might be enough to overwhelm most students, but in addition to these significant accomplishments, Augusto has been active with Engineers Without Borders, leading three trips to Honduras to oversee the design and construction of a clean water delivery system. Augusto was a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship and will attend Duke University in the fall.
Claire Christian was named the Viterbi Student Ambassador of the Year. This award recognizes her demonstrated 
commitment to excellence in communication & interpersonal skills, peer leadership, organizational involvement, academics, project development and enthusiasm for USC and the Viterbi School.
Claire is an outstanding student who has served the University in numerous ways in addition to her involvement in Viterbi Student Ambassadors. Her student organization leadership roles have included being Recruitment Chair of Alpha Delta Pi and serving on the Executive Board of Engineers Without Borders. Claire will start the Masters in Engineering Management program at USC in the fall.
For the second year in a row, Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering (ASBME) won the Alumni Advisory Board Award for Outstanding Student Organization in the Viterbi School of Engineering. ASBME activities this past year included BIOMED and the Annual Corporate Dinner.
