Evansville Ivy Tech Student Recognized By IDOE Today With Student Excellence Award

Lisa Hamrick, an Ivy Tech Community College Evansville Campus student, today (2/26/19) was honored with an Award for Excellence by the Indiana Department of Education at the Indiana Government Center Auditorium in Indianapolis.

Hamrick was nominated by Donna Zimmerman, program chair for Advanced Automation and Robotics. She said Hamrick is a driven student who gives her all to whatever challenge is placed before her.

A single mother of two, Hamrick said she originally was a cyber security student and liked the program, but had already worked some in advanced manufacturing. After getting a taste of robotics, she changed her major.

Zimmerman said she had been faced with dwindling participation in the Robotics Club, and approached the Student Life director about how to see an increase. Hamrick was approached about helping out. “She sent Lisa to see me, and Lisa immediately joined the club, submitted all the necessary paperwork, started a membership drive, and literally saved the Robotics Club from disbanding.”

Hamrick said there was something about helping others, by altering toys to perform a function for someone with a disability that caused her to switch majors. Now, she works with Zimmerman with 3D printing pieces to be used to build a prosthetic arm and working hand. “We even got to go to EnableCon 2018, an international conference on prosthetics, and participate in a panel discussion,” she said.

Hamrick serves as a work study and also does some cleaning of Ivy Tech buildings, while she takes several classes each grading period. She is involved in five student organizations and takes a leading role in many. “She gives her all to them, and truly serves each with excellence,” Zimmerman said.

Following her anticipated graduation in 2020, she plans to study mechanical engineering and eventually become a professor. “I love to teach,” she said.

The Indiana Career and Technical Education Awards for Excellence program identifies and celebrates career and technical education students, programs, active partnerships that contribute to high quality career and technical education, guidance/career services displaying excellence in Indiana, and outstanding contributors to careers in technical education in Indiana.

“Lisa is the perfect person to receive this honor,” said Evansville Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel. “She exemplifies what an engaged student is at Ivy Tech. She loves her classes, she participates and leads many organizations, and she is working toward a career that she loves and is passionate about.”