Sarah Gilbert completed her biomedical engineering degree with a minor in mechanical engineering and will be working as a Digital Strategy Engineer with Johnson Controls, where she’ll analyze data to help inform maintenance procedures for chiller systems.
Throughout her time at Messiah, Sarah was actively involved in the Stance Control Orthosis Collaboratory team, contributing to the development of technology to make knee-ankle-foot orthoses more reliable and affordable. The team is currently pursuing a patent for their design and Sarah shared that she is excited about the ways it will truly make a positive impact on the lives of individuals with limited mobility.
Another highlight for Sarah was the opportunity to travel with the Sikalongo Wheelchair Collaboratory team to Zambia and make meaningful contributions to the community through the development of a wheelchair uniquely designed with the ability to be locally manufactured. Reflecting on her academic journey, Sarah noted that Messiah’s Engineering program has prepared her with the tools to think through new challenges and adapt to unfamiliar environments, helping her to grow both technically and personally.
Congratulations Sarah! We're so thankful for all your contributions to our department and wish you the best as you begin your career at Johnson Controls.
Up next in our highlight series we have Josiah Lamberton!
Josiah just graduated with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and plans to work in the medical device industry as a product development or R&D engineer. Josiah shared, "Messiah Engineering highly prepared me for the workforce through project-based classes with realistic deliverables and timelines, and through the Collaboratory's focus on client-oriented service".
Congratulations Josiah! Many thanks to you and all the Class of 2026 engineering students who took the time to share their reflections and future plans!
Please pray for our @mu_collaboratory teams as they travel to serve partners in Kenya, Senegal, Peru, England, Zimbabwe, Alaska, and Benin!
Follow along on the team blogs (/) for updates, progress highlights, and a glimpse into new experiences the groups are encountering.
Congratulations to Gabe Coakley on graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and beginning his career as a Project Engineer at Faber Burner Company!
In his new role, Gabe will contribute to a wide range of projects including SolidWorks fluid simulations, quality inspection, design, and supporting the progress of large scale projects.
Reflecting on his experience, Gabe shared how the Collaboratory helped prepare him for his engineering career:
"I thought the Collaboratory did a great job helping to prepare me for future work by letting me experience how to lead projects, different types of work from design to testing, and prototyping."
Gabe, we are cheering for you and wish you all the best as you start your career!
Join us in celebrating recent Mechanical Engineering graduate Ryan Walker!
Last summer, Ryan worked as an Engineering Design Intern for Armstrong World Industries and received an offer at the end of his internship for a full time position as a Project Engineer upon graduation. He will be stationed at Armstrong World Industries' headquarters in Lancaster, PA where he will work with manufacturing plants across the U.S. on a range of projects. His work will include analyzing processes, identifying areas for improvement, and helping implement solutions to enhance production and efficiency.
Reflecting on his experience, Ryan shared:
"The Collaboratory has done a great job preparing us for bigger, post-college projects. It shows the difference between short assignments and longer, multi-week work, and helps us better see the bigger picture and how to support the people we're working with."
Congratulations Ryan — we wish you all the best in your next endeavors!🎉
Today we're highlighting recent Civil Engineering graduate Luke Redcay!
Luke will be working in SAI Consulting Engineers' structural engineering department as a bridge designer and inspector. He shared, "Being on the bridge team (Honduras and Alaska) both years for the Collaboratory has really opened my eyes to the world of bridge engineering and has been rewarding."
In addition to his studies at Messiah, Luke also served as the co-president of the men's club soccer team. Congratulations, Luke, we wish you all the best as you begin your career at SAI!
Congratulations Elizabeth Yoho!🎉🎓
Elizabeth graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and will be working for Site Design, Inc. in Greenville, SC. She is excited to continue learning the field of land development after three years of land development involvement with the Collaboratory.
While at Messiah, Elizabeth was involved in Ultimate Frisbee and Choral Arts Society while also serving as the Vice President of the Society of Women Engineers and taking all the Biblical languages courses offered. Her favorite Messiah memories include helping turn Frey 070 into a 9-hole beach mini golf course and performing a rap in place of her final honors essay.
We wish you all the best, Elizabeth, and are excited for all that's in store for you in this next chapter!
Senior spotlights continue with Timothy Shatney! Timothy graduated last Saturday with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and will be joining CHL Systems in Souderton, PA as a Manufacturing Design Engineer where he will be taking concepts from design through to production.
Looking back at his Messiah experience, he shared, "Messiah's Collaboratory was invaluable for developing real-world engineering judgement and the technical foundation from my coursework tied it all together".
Congratulations Timothy, we're cheering for you!
A huge CONGRATULATIONS to the Class of 2026 as you graduate today!
We’re so proud of all you have accomplished and know there are many amazing adventures in store for each one of you!🎉
Celebrating our incredible Class of 2026! 🎓
The Engineering Senior Celebration was a night to remember—we had the opportunity to share dinner with graduates and their families, honor each senior, present outstanding performance awards, and worship together.
A highlight of the evening was student-hosted entertainment featuring the soon-to-be-sweeping-the-nation game show "Numbers Say" where, through a rigorous selection process, faculty representatives from each engineering discipline competed to determine which of their colleagues was most likely to be the answer to each question. Cheers to Dr. Fish for emerging the victorious winner and also being voted "Most likely to eat something labeled 'do not eat'... just to see".🏆
The James T. Scroggin Award was presented to Caitlin Renner who was recognized alongside award finalists Sarah Gilbert, Ethan Jo, and Elizabeth Yoho for excellent performance in engineering scholarship, leadership, and service.
We also celebrated Jacob Cruzan as this year's recipient of the David T. Vader Award. This award is presented to a student selected by peers and mentors to recognize exceptional performance in the Collaboratory, particularly marked by strength in leadership and gracious service to others.
Congratulations to our seniors on all your outstanding accomplishments—it was a joy to celebrate you!🎉
