Distinguished Alumni Awards

Each year, the College of Engineering honors one outstanding alumnus from each of our academic departments. Recipients of our Distinguished Alumni Awards are former students who, by their distinguished career and service to the college, university, state, nation, or world, have brought honor to the College of Engineering, Colorado State University, and themselves. 

Mr. Vincent Leone

Vincent D. Leone Sr. (BSME 1949) was presented the Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Alumnus award at the College of Engineering Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner in April, 2007. The College of Engineering alumni awards recognize former students whose accomplishments in their careers, their service to industry and the public, and/or their volunteer efforts have brought honor to that individual, to the College of Engineering, and to Colorado State University.

Mr. Leone is a retired registered petroleum engineer in Texas and Louisiana. He holds several oilfield equipment patents. In 1957 he formed a successful oil well analysis company, which was sold in 1995. Even though retired, Vincent is still seen at the office on a regular basis.

While at CSU, he served as the vice president of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and during his career he has been an active and contributing member of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers as well as the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Vincent fondly remembers Professors Taylor Strate and Harry Scofield from his time at CSU (then Colorado A&M College) and said that all his profs were great and helped him a lot. He came to Colorado because he wanted to be somewhere that was not flat. He hails from Texas and before coming to study here he had spent 11 months at sea during World War II in the North Pacific on (mostly) flat water. He also came to Colorado so he could learn to fly fish and hunt and he did both. He has fond memories of the “flower dances” that were held among the sororities and fraternities at the time and he said that he had bunked ina basement apartment with three other guys including Roy Romer (later to become governor of Colorado) and “Kenny” Monfort (another well known alum of CSU, though not in engineering).Roy and Ken were both Sigma Phi Epsilons.  Ken Monfort was president at the time Mr. Leone was vice president of the fraternity.

Ms. Judy Dorsey - 2006

At the April 22, 2006 College of Engineering Alumni Dinner, Judy Dorsey (MSME 1992) received the ME Distinguished Alumni Award.  Ms Dorsey has been recognized for her accomplishments as founder and leader of a very successful engineering business that contributes widely to energy innovation, water conservation, pollution prevention, and sustainable design.  She is the president of the Brendle Group, an engineering consulting firm, which was founded shortly after completing her Master’s degree in 1992. 

Located in Fort Collins, the firm and its staff of engineers have conducted over 100 energy efficiency and pollution prevention assessments in small businesses, Colorado school districts, the Capital Complex facilities of the State of Colorado and other locations.  They have recently worked with the CSU Net Energy design team, Vail Resorts and the National Ski Association to develop renewable resources and energy storage for ski resorts.   Wade Troxell, Associate Dean of the CSU College of Engineering says, “Judy is a leader in the application of sustainable management and joining energy and environmental opportunities based on sound business practices.”

Judy continues to maintain strong ties to our department.  She serves as an adjunct professor, has taught graduate courses and guest lectured as well, has served as a graduate student advisor, participated in Engineer’s Days and the Engineering Entrepreneurship seminar.  She has collaborated with the Industrial Assessment Center in connection with energy efficiency improvement and is currently working with Wade Troxell and Neil Grigg of CE on an NSF proposal for a partnership for innovative water technology involving hardware, software and information technology in water resources.  She is also a participant in the Clean Energy Cluster of the CSU Economic Development Initiative.

Dr. Scott L. Delp - 2005

Dr. Scott L. Delp (1983) is the recipient of the 2005 Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award winner. This prestigious award was presented at the College of Engineering’s Alumni Awards Dinner and Dance held at CSU in April 2005.

Dr. Delp is a Professor of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineeringat Stanford University. He was employed by Hewlett-Packard in Fort Collins for two years following graduation from Colorado State University and subsequently earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1990. Dr. Delp joined the faculty at Northwestern University in 1991; and in 1999, he returned to Stanford and began serving as the Chairman of the Biomechanical Engineering Division of Stanford’s Mechanical Engineering Department. In 2002, he was named the Founding Chairman of Stanford’s Bioengineering Department, a new department based in the Schools of Engineering and Medicine.

Dr. Delp’s research focuses on improving treatments for movement disorders that arise from cerebral palsy, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease; and he has published over 200 scientific articles and conference papers on these topics. He has received faculty fellowships from the Baxter and Powell Foundations, was the recipient of the National Science Foundation’s Young Investigator Award, and is a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering

While a student at Colorado State University, Dr. Delp was a member of the rugby and lacrosse teams and the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Joining Dr. Delp at the College of Engineering Alumni Awards Dinner and Dance was his father, Dr. Charles Delp (B.S. in Botany, 1950) of Tampa, Florida. Dr. Charles Delp received CSU’s William E. Morgan Achievement Award in 1985 and was pleased to be on hand to congratulate his son on the receipt of his own alumni award. 

Dr. Scott Delp currently resides in Stanford, California.

Mr. Brett Anderson - 2004

The first recipient of the College of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award is Mr. Brett Anderson (1987).  Mr. Anderson has been a managing partner at the Denver office Accenture since 2002 where he oversees more than 700 people and $200 million in operations. 

Mr. Anderson has served CSU with distinction for the last eighteen years.  He was one of the founding members of the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Panel (MEAP).  His role has been a very active one, providing strong leadership toward continuing improvements in the department.  He has a helped drive the department toward an engineering curriculum that meets the needs of globally-based employers.  He has also been active at the college and unviversity level, as a member of the college of Engineering Advisory Council, past chair of the Corporate and Foundation Relations Committee, and current chair of the University Development Council.  Mr. Anderson’s community service includes membership of the Denver Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors, the Colorado Economic Club and involvement in Colorado Uplift.

Mr. Anderson credits the Mechanical Engineering Department’s senior design practicum for preparing him for his career.  In turn, the Anderson’s generous contributions are providing current and future students the same opportunity for the hands-on engineering experience required for rapid and successful transition into today’s fast-paced engineering workforce.