CEE GRADUATE BRITNEY GESNER AWARDED KAUFMAN PRIZE

Britney Gesner, a December 2011 civil engineering graduate from the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology, is the winner of Old Dominion's 2012 Kaufman Prize.

The award was given out at the Student Honors and Awards Dinner Thursday, May 3.

Gesner, from Gardner, Mass., was active in Chi Epsilon sorority and was named Outstanding Scholar for the Batten College in December. She has been president of the Society of Women Engineers for the past two years.

She was a student ambassador when ODU hosted Womengineers Day in February, acting as hostess for guest speaker Kathy Bethany, director of the Office of Cost Management in the Overseas Building Operations of the U.S. State Department. Gesner, who named Linda Vahala, associate dean of the Batten College, as her most inspirational faculty member, is currently pursuing a master's in civil engineering at ODU.

The Kaufman Prize is regarded as one of the highest student honors at ODU. It was established by Landmark Communications Inc. to recognize graduating seniors who have had an exceptional and constructive influence on the university, its students or the community by demonstrating the highest qualities of leadership and service.

The award is named for the late Charles L. Kaufman, who was a noted community leader, philanthropist and friend to the university. Following Kaufman's example, the award winner must have shown sustained participation in leadership of campus or community groups, an outstanding record of volunteer activities and academic achievement, or the achievement of a major task affecting the campus or community.

The Kaufman Prize Selection Committee interviews nominees and recommends to President John Broderick those to be chosen for the Kaufman Honors and the person to receive the prize.

For winning the Kaufman Prize, Gesner received a $10,000 cash award and a plaque.