Alumni Honors and Achievements
Ehsan Hoque, a 2004 Computer Engineering graduate, was recognized by former President Joe Biden as one of 400 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. This is the highest recognition by the U.S. Government for scientists and engineers. Hoque is an associate professor of computer science at the University of Rochester, where he codirects the Rochester Human-Computer Interaction (ROC HCI) group. He was recognized for his work advancing human-computer interaction with AI.
Kristen (Bessetti) Nielsen, a 2016 Communication graduate and an assistant producer at WQLN, Erie’s public broadcasting station, recently won an Emmy from the Central Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. She was honored for her team’s work on “Chronicles: Bellwether,” a three-part docuseries exploring the political evolution of Erie.
Samiha Choudhury, a 2024 Political Science alumna, is the recipient of the third-annual Mary Behrend Impact Award, which is presented by the Women’s Engagement Council. The award recognizes individuals who have made contributions that support and lift women. Choudhury, who plans to attend law school, is currently a paralegal for an immigration attorney at Khan Law LLC in Detroit. She manages cases involving family-based petitions, asylum, refugee and status adjustments, and other topics. She provides translation services in Bengali, Sylheti, and Spanish.
Pioneers Reunite
Last summer, Behrend Pioneer Alumni, who attended Behrend fifty or more years ago, were invited to return to their alma mater for a full day of programming and activities, including tours of campus and Glenhill Farmhouse, an ice cream social, an outdoor picnic, and a summer carillon bell concert. Behrend was happy to welcome more than thirty alumni who marveled at the expansion of their once-small campus.