2023 Director's Scholarship Awarded
By Jen Potter
This year, the MSE is pleased to award the Director’s Scholarship to four outstanding students: Eshita Agarwal, Gaurav Agerwala, Kunal Jain, and Anshul Modh.
The Director’s Scholarship was established in 2019 to recognize students in the top 5% of their class who also demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, strong communication skills, and exceptional personal initiative. Prospective awardees for both scholarships are identified by the Program Director and Academic Program Manager after the completion of the second semester of study. A committee of faculty members and project mentors evaluates the pool of prospective awardees and selects one or more winners.
It is our sincere pleasure to congratulate Eshita, Gaurav, Kunal, and Anshul for their effort and dedication to the MSE programs!
Eshita Agarwal | MSE 2023
Eshita earned her bachelor of technology in computer science and engineering at SRM University. After graduating she worked as a software engineer and then senior engineering management specialist at HashedIn before entering the MSE degree program.
"Eshita has been a resolute and bright student in every capacity that she's studied under me. She pursues knowledge in leadership and engineering and puts those hard-earned lessons to practice with every opportunity she gets. These qualities exemplify what it means to be a great engineer and she has a great future in the profession ahead of her," noted Scott Pavetti, Assistant Teaching Professor.
Gaurav Agerwala | MSE 2023
Gaurav earned his bachelor of technology in computer engineering at Vellore Institute of Technology. After graduating he worked in industry for half a decade in a variety of roles at SLB before entering the MSE degree program.
"Gaurav is motivated, engaged, and talented. As part of an independent study course, he assisted me in revising the Advanced Architecture course. His familiarity with Internet of Things (IoT) and IoT reference architectures led me to reimagine the course as an analysis and refinement of a reference architecture," noted Len Bass, Adjunct Teaching Faculty.
Kunal Jain | MSE-SS 2023
Kunal earned his bachelor of engineering in computer science at Birla Institute of Technology and Science University. After graduating he worked as a back-end developer at Myntra before entering the MSE degree program.
"Kunal is a quick learner and puts his best foot forward in all that he does. He is a diligent student who delivers high-quality work in his assessments. He also volunteers to share his perspectives and experiences in class, and I have observed him taking the lead in team discussions during class assignments," said Swarna Ashok, Associate Teaching Professor.
Anshul Modh | MSE 2023
Anshul earned a bachelor of science in computer science, with a concentration in machine learning and artificial intelligence from the University of Texas at Austin. He was a member of the Association for Computing Machinery, and IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.
"Anshul has been an exceptional performer in every class he's taken with me. He has not only engaged inside the classroom, but has asked questions and worked diligently to understand, internalize, and apply the concepts that he has learned. It's also clear to me that he cares deeply about his fellow students. What's even more impressive is how well he's done in the MSE program despite his limited professional experience. Whether acting as a TA, engaging with his Studio team, or handling his own studies, he carries himself with a maturity far beyond his years. I've been incredibly impressed by him," said Nick Frollini, Communications Instructor.
