K-State Tau Beta Pi chapter honored with multiple award wins at annual convention

From professional excellence to chapter distinction, K-State’s Tau Beta Pi members stood out.

K-State Tau Beta Pi delegates attended the annual Tau Beta Pi convention. From left, Brad Kramer, Andrew Osterhaus, Nicholas Divilbiss, Mary Ice, Carl Ice, Michael Velasquez, Dalton Rizzo and Kylie Phommasack. | Download this photo.

By Grant Guggisberg

Carl R. Ice College of Engineering

Members of the Kansas State University chapter of Tau Beta Pi, the nation's oldest engineering honor society, had a trip to remember at the organization's recent national convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they won multiple national awards.

A delegation of six students, along with Interim Dean Brad Kramer and notable alumnus and college namesake Carl R. Ice and his wife, Mary Ice, made the trip to receive the awards in person at the convention.

Carl R. Ice, 1979 graduate in industrial engineering, was honored as the first K-State winner of the organization's Distinguished Alumni Award. The award recognizes Tau Beta Pi alumni who have demonstrated adherence to the organization's ideals and fostered a spirit of liberal culture on local, national and international levels. As part of the award, a $2,000 scholarship in his name will be given to a deserving student member of Tau Beta Pi.

Ice was nominated for his philanthropic efforts, professional achievements and diverse service. His 42-year career at BNSF Railway, along with numerous years of service as an executive, including a seven-year tenure as chief executive officer, highlights his professional accomplishments. His generous support of K-State students, faculty, programs and facilities culminated with his transformative investment in 2018 to create the first named college at K-State, the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering. Since his retirement from BNSF in 2020, Ice has been active in both Texas and Kansas in advisory capacities, as well as serving as a member of the Kansas Board of Regents.

Nicholas R. Divilbiss, master’s student in architectural engineering, was honored as the first K-State student to be named a Tau Beta Pi Laureate. The award recognizes gifted engineering students who have excelled in areas beyond their technical majors, including the categories of arts, athletics, diverse achievements, and service. Divilbiss will receive a $2,500 cash award, as well as a commemorative plaque and the distinction of joining the program’s other 130 Laureates since its inception in 1982.

Divilbiss was nominated for the Laureate award for his service to the communities in which he has lived, namely his hometown of Parker, where he worked as a 911 dispatcher for the Linn County Sheriff's Office. A product of the foster care system in Kansas himself, he helped co-found Fostering Success, an organization that supports students with foster care backgrounds. He also participated in several humanitarian work trips organized by the GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science during his undergraduate studies at K-State.

The K-State chapter received a pair of awards at the event, winning the Chapter Excellence Award and the Outstanding Project Award. The K-State chapter was also recognized as an honorable mention for the second year in a row for the R.C. Matthews Outstanding Chapter Award, the organization's highest honor for a collegiate chapter of Tau Beta Pi.

The six students attending the event as representatives of the K-State Tau Beta Pi chapter included Divilbiss; Michael Velasquez, senior in electrical engineering; Dalton Rizzo, senior in electrical engineering; Kylie Phommasack, senior in computer science; Austin Mills, senior in mechanical engineering; and Andrew Osterhaus, senior in computer science.

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