Four graduating students have earned the honor of being recognized as first in their class for the Class of 2018. The undergraduates who have held a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout their time at Stevens are Marko Djapic, Katrina Guido, Roger Kleinmann, and Ian Porada. Each of these seniors embodies the highest ideals of involvement, devotion, sacrifice, success, and commitment to excellence.
Marko Djapic, one of the four seniors top in the class, almost skipped coming to Stevens when he finished high school. His brother had attended Stevens when he was admitted here, so he had preferred to go anywhere other than this university.
“I was an incredibly angsty teenager who wanted nothing more than to express my ‘individuality’ and make my own way through another school,” said Djapic, “so Stevens was actually the school I was dreading the most of coming to. Once I came around, though, there was no reason for me to not come. It worked financially, I got to live with my brother, and I got to enjoy the city lifestyle. I just needed a smack in the head! I’m incredibly satisfied with my choice and the moment I got over myself I realized how much Stevens could really do for me.”
It hasn’t just been Stevens doing a lot for Djapic — Djapic has done a lot for Stevens as well. He was president of Art Club, a columnist for the Stute, and a member of the Stevens Jazz Band, among many other things. These organizations, he believes, have rewarded him with the skills of a great leader. “Working with the SGA, working with the Stevens administration, and just working with my fellow students has definitely prepared me for professional life, specifically for working with BUREAUCRACY. It’s a life skill that I didn’t appreciate at all until I got thrown into the thick of it.”
When Djapic graduates with his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Biology, he plans on attending Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in the fall. This choice of attending dental school almost seems unfit, considering that Djapic served as Art Club President and a columnist for the Stute. But for him, it makes perfect sense. “I’m probably the weakest artist in the Art Club by a few light years. I knew my talents and opted to stay in my lane career-wise,” Djapic said. “Matching shades of teeth, knowing how to match function with aesthetics, having a good grip of how to mold someone’s mouth into a vision; all of these are skills you can find in the art world as well.”
Despite the stresses of schoolwork and “just becoming a fully-functioning adult” while still maintaining his success, health, and social life, Djapic enjoyed his time at Stevens. For the incoming freshmen, he reminds them that they shouldn’t sacrifice their health for school. “If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break, take a nap, eat some food, hit the gym. Staying healthy, both physically and mentally, is critical to your success and happiness.”
Unlike Djapic, some people outside of the Tri-State area sometimes miss their chance to be a duck, only because they may not know that Stevens is even option for them. This is the reason why Katrina Guido — another senior top in the class — was an unlikely person to attend Stevens. Being from Macungie, Pennsylvania, Guido didn’t even know about Stevens until her mother suggested applying. “[My mother] had attended my uncle’s graduation [at Stevens] and knew the university checked many of my requirements,” said Guido.
She ultimately applied and has attended this university, appreciating the school for its dedication to the sciences, its small size, and its proximity to the city. Since being at Stevens, Guido has made the most of her opportunities, serving as an resident assistant and belonging to two honor societies, Sigma Pi Sigma and Rho Alpha Sigma.
Recognizing the importance of having a community for women who support other women, Guido also co-founded the Alpha Phi chapter at Stevens. “Joining Alpha Phi has been a great experience, and seeing the passion for our sisterhood in each new member class is incredibly satisfying knowing that I was one of the first members of our chapter here on campus,” said Guido. “I have met some really outstanding women who never cease to impress me with their accomplishments, passion, and drive.”
Guido will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Physics. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Ohio State University “with a research focus in brain implants for the treatment of epileptic seizures and other movement-related disorders.” After graduation but before beginning her Ph.D. at Ohio State University, Guido hopes to explore her interest in baking by working at a bakery this summer, either near her home in Pennsylvania or in Columbus, Ohio.
As for the future, Guido offers tips to the underclassmen on campus and even the incoming freshman: know your professors, prioritize sleep, don’t try to be a leader in everything, know your formal education isn’t everything.
“There is life outside of school,” said Guido. “It can be so easy to get bogged down in all the work and every individual perceived failure, believe me I know. Life goes on; take time to enjoy it.”
For Mechanical Engineering major Roger Kleinmann — another senior top in the class — Stevens seemed like a natural choice. Originally accepted as a Computer Science major, Kleinmann “chose Stevens because it was the most affordable for [him], with no tuition after scholarships and grants.” Just before scheduling classes, he decided to switch his major to Mechanical Engineering.
“I thought that, having a desire to do hands-on work and my experiences with FIRST Robotics,” Kleinmann said, “[Mechanical Engineering] would make more sense for me.”
While working toward both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Kleinmann engaged himself in a variety of extracurricular activities. From the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), to Pi Tau Sigma, to Alpha Phi Omega (APO), he stayed active on campus. He also interned after his classes during freshman year, was the project manager for RockSat C during sophomore year, and was a teaching assistant for Engineering Design 1 and 2. “As you can imagine, balance was difficult,” he said.
He thanks organizations like APO for their ability to foster friendships and offer community service opportunities in his free time. “[APO] helped me get through some of the tough times associated with school.”
Kleinmann, after graduation, plans on pursuing a career in robotics technology, potentially in the area of defense. For the underclassmen on campus, Kleinmann suggests that they “do whatever makes [them] happy and don’t try to live up to the expectations of others. To some that may mean going to all of the [Entertainment Committee] events, or it may mean focusing on work — the way you spend your time at Stevens is unique to you.”
And for Colorado-native Ian Porada — another student top in the class — he had his dad to thank for discovering Stevens. “My dad is originally from Brooklyn and had toured Stevens when he was in high school, and he recommended it to me,” Porada said. “Actually, when I first got here, I found out that there was a senior student from my same high school, so it doesn’t feel that rare to me.”
Engaged in a variety of organizations like Upsilon Pi Epsilon and the Stevens Scholars program, Porada has made the most of his opportunities. “The Stevens Scholars program exposed me to research which I plan to continue through my career. I know there are also a lot of international research opportunities for scholar students, or Stevens students in general.”
As part of his research, Porada worked closely with Stevens faculty, researching stereo vision and 3D computer vision technologies. His research, along with an interest in artificial intelligence, helped Porada win a scholarship named in honor of Google Research Director Peter Norvig, a pioneer in artificial intelligence and machine learning research. He was even able to meet Norvig himself.
“It was kind of surreal,” Porada said in a press statement. “He wrote our textbook, the AI textbook almost every school uses. [Norvig is] a major figure in the field.”
Porada has enjoyed living next to New York City, regularly going to concerts and just exploring. He was particularly fascinated by “running into other Stevens students in the city.”
“I know this is probably more than just a coincidence because we are likely to be in the same areas and free at the same times,” he said, “but it always amazes me when I run into someone I know because New York feels so large and so small at the same time.”
Porada will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and after graduation, he plans to pursue a graduate program at McGill University in Montreal, Canada with a research focus in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and reinforcement learning.
He suggests to the underclassmen that they try to remain open-minded to all the types of people and ideas that exist at Stevens. “Sometimes it feels like there can be different levels of division among Stevens students, but at the end of the day, we’re essentially all in the same boat.”
These four seniors will speak at Commencement on Wednesday, May 23 at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, along with Roger Ferguson Jr., President and Chief Executive of TIAA, one of the largest finance firms in the United States.
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