Benjamin L. Smith, of Athens, MI, was the recipient of the Presidential Scholar Award in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Western Michigan University.
As a Presidential Scholar, Smith, whose GPA is 3.95, achieved WMU’s highest academic award. He is the top 2008 graduating scholar of the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.
“I am honored to receive such a prestigious award,” he said. “However, the credit really belongs to my classmates, my professors and staff members, and especially my parents for their support and guidance over the past four years.”
The award was presented at the 28th Annual Presidential Scholars Convocation, hosted by WMU President John Dunn. For the event, Smith was joined by IME’s Dr. Bob White, who was Smith’s choice as the most supportive faculty member. “Dr. White’s style of teaching and challenging course work have truly prepared me for the professional environment,” Smith said. “I’ve learned that data are not always perfect and answers are not always in the back of textbooks. We must simply do the best with what we’re presented and be able to effectively communicate our results with the appropriate justifications.”
In April, Smith, a Lee Honors College scholar, earned a BS in Engineering: Industrial.
During his time at WMU, Smith completed internships at DENSO Manufacturing Michigan and Albion Industries, and he served WMU as a research associate and as a teaching assistant.
Smith has been active in numerous professional organizations, including the Institute of Industrial Engineers, American Society of Engineering Management, and APICS-the Association for Operations Management. He also is a member of the Alpha Pi Mu and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor societies and participates in various volunteering activities.
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