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McKiernan, Sapp Receiving Distinguished Young Alumni Awards for Career Achievements and Community Service
August 18, 2011
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Alumni Association will
recognize Brendan McKiernan and Dustin Sapp with its Distinguished
Young Alumni during this year's homecoming on Sept. 23-24.
The recipients were selected from alumni who have graduated within
the past 10 years and have shown significant accomplishments in the
areas of career achievement, continued education, community service
and/or commitment to Rose-Hulman.
Brendan McKiernan
Brendan is a 2007 biomedical engineering graduate who is making
a difference through the Alliance for Catholic Education. He
has been teaching inner-city youth in New Orleans through the
service-through-teaching program, coordinated by the University of
Notre Dame.
"My experiences at Rose-Hulman were instrumental in defining my
professional educational philosophy," says McKiernan, who earned a
master's degree in education from Notre Dame. "At
Rose-Hulman, the academic expectations helped me experience and
value the idea of challenging yourself in your education. My
experience through the Learning Center and being a Resident
Assistant showed me the value of asking and answering questions and
of community in your education."
McKiernan is currently teaching high school math, developing the
Advanced Placement curriculum, and directing the middle-school
intramural and interscholastic sports for Holy Cross School in New
Orleans.
"Rose-Hulman not only provides excellent academic preparation but
also outstanding development as a person and citizen. These
are ideals I bring into my classroom daily," McKiernan said.
Dustin Sapp
Dustin is an Indianapolis-based entrepreneur experienced in
building and growing software startup companies. He started
his first company, NoInk Communications, with classmates during his
junior year on campus.
"One of the things that attracted me to Rose-Hulman is that
students are pushed beyond engineering and are taught to be
business and community leaders," says Sapp. "The
encouragement I received from Tom Mason, Fred Berry and countless
others helped me discover an untapped entrepreneurial
passion. Without the Rose-Hulman community I couldn't have
enjoyed the career that I have."
NoInk became one of the first tenants of the college's
Rose-Hulman Ventures, a program located on the South Campus that
brings together outstanding students with technology-based
companies. NoInk was sold in 2004 to Silicon Valley-based
Everypath. Sapp has gone on to launch two additional
startups, including his latest venture TinderBox.
"Ultimately I've spent my career walking through the doors God's
opened, and having as much fun as I can along the way," Sapp
adds.
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McKiernan and Sapp will be among alumni recognized during this
year's Alumni Awards Breakfast on Sept. 24. Find out more
information about this year's homecoming festivities at http://www.rose-hulman.edu/news/homecoming-news.aspx.