Outstanding Undergraduate Student in the Herff College of Engineering
Michael Dumas
"Engineering school requires a great deal of time and commitment, and it helps to
have people around you who will cheer for your wins but will also hold you accountable."
Michael Dumas, a mechanical engineering student at the Herff College of Engineering, won the Dean's Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Student in the college.
As a senior, Dumas serves the college as an Engineering Ambassador while working as a Quality Engineering Intern at Smith & Nephew. He's already on track to move up in the company, stepping into a Manufacutring Engineering position at Smith & Nephew after graduating in May. Dumas plans on continuing his work-and-school balance while earning a part-time Master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering as a full-time Smith & Nephew employee. He said he believes those opportunities are available to anyone.
"I truly believe that anyone can earn an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, You do not have to be the most gifted person in the room," Dumas said.
Looking back on his time as an undergraduate, Dumas fondly remembered the relationships he developed with his peers.
"My favorite memory at the University of Memphis is the late night, spontaneous cookout runs in between rounds of nerd ball, a group version of ping pong, during my sophomore year while I was the Peer Mentor for the Engineering Live and Learn Community," Dumas said.
Though Dumas will end his undergraduate studies in May with the Dean's Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Student, he admitted to not traveling the smoothest route through his college career. He credited his support system and the Herff community with giving him the encouragement he needed to get to the finish line.
"The most important thing is having a support system in place when thing get difficult and when you feel like you no longer have anything more to give to your schooling," Dumas said. "Engineering school requires a great deal of time and commitment, and it helps to have people around you who will cheer for your wins but will also hold you accountable. My path at the University of Memphis was far from perfect or linear. I struggled in some classes, took a year away from school, and at one point did not think I would return. But because of my support system, I came back, and in May I will achieve my goal of walking across the stage."