EECS Celebrates the Class of 2025 and Honors Excellence at Graduation Dinner
The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) celebrated its graduating students at the 2025 EECS Graduation Dinner on May 1st, a memorable evening recognizing their hard work and promising futures. This year’s ceremony marked a significant milestone, as we proudly congratulated the first graduating class of undergraduate Cybersecurity Engineering students, alongside our accomplished graduates in Applied Computing, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering, as well as our Master's and Ph.D. candidates.
Professor Erik Perrins, Chair of the EECS department, warmly welcomed the graduating class of 2025, expressing his congratulations. He encouraged the graduates to look forward with anticipation, recognizing the immense potential they now hold to shape the future of their fields. Professor Perrins highlighted the strong foundation they've built within the EECS community and urged them to carry forward its spirit of innovation and collaboration as they make their mark on the world.
The event honored outstanding achievements through student and faculty awards. Key among these were the Outstanding Senior Awards, recognizing exceptional undergraduate students in each degree program. The Spring 2025 recipients were: Raven Duong (Cybersecurity Engineering), John Fraka (Electrical Engineering), James Hurd (Computer Science), David Levy (Computer Engineering), and Teja Nimmagadda (Interdisciplinary Computing). The inspiring Ellemeier Award, celebrating the success of a non-traditional student, was proudly presented to Jeff Burns. Additionally, Sumit Bhattarai was recognized for his outstanding contributions to teaching, receiving the prestigious Paul F. Huebner Award for Outstanding TA.
The KEDS Award
A central moment of the evening was the conferral of the 2025 KU EECS Distinguished Service (KEDS) Award upon Tom Rudkin. This prestigious award honors distinguished alumni and dedicated associates for outstanding career achievements that have advanced electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science, coupled with significant contributions to KU EECS and exemplary accomplishments in their professional lives. Tom Rudkin, a retired software development engineer and manager, holds a significant place in computing history as one of the two original developers of Microsoft PowerPoint, launched in 1987. His impactful career across major technology companies and his enduring commitment to learning perfectly exemplify the values of the KEDS Award.
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To the remarkable Class of 2025, your dedication and achievements have brought you to this significant milestone. As you embark on your future paths, we are confident in your ability to make meaningful contributions and uphold the tradition of excellence within the KU EECS community. We extend our warmest congratulations and best wishes for success in all your future endeavors!