The Grainger College of Engineering
Civil & Environmental Engineering

2026 CEE Alumni Awards Dinner

3/24/2026

The CEEAA Alumni Awards Dinner is the largest CEE at Illinois alumni gathering of the year, in which alumni, faculty, students and staff come together in Chicago to celebrate the Distinguished Alumni and Young Alumni Achievement award recipients. 

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The University of Illinois Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Association (CEEAA) hosted its annual Alumni Awards Dinner on March 12, 2026 at the Union League in Chicago, Illinois.

Over 250 CEE alumni, faculty, staff and students were in attendance to celebrate this year's Distinguished Alumni Award winners, Jesus de la Garza (MS 84, PhD 88), Michael Kreger (BS 79, MS 81, PhD 83), and Martha VanGeem (BS 76), as well as the Young Alumni Achievement Award winner Ugwem Eneyo Showunmi (BS 13).

The evening kicked off with a cocktail hour sponsored by Hanson, followed by dinner and the awards presentation hosted by CEEAA Board President Dana Mehlman. CEE Department Head Ana Barros also took to the stage to share a short update on the department and offer her congratulations to the award winners.

2026 CEEAA Alumni Awards Dinner Photo Gallery

Distinguished Alumni Award winner Martha VanGeem stands on stage while waiting to receive her certificate from CEEAA President Dana Mehlman, who stands at the podium introducing VanGeem. Distinguished Alumni Award winner Martha VanGeem poses for a photo with a fellow alumna. Professor Mani Golparvar-Fard talks with alumni. CEEAA Board Member Justin Lewis smiles while talking to other alumni during cocktail hour. Sergio 'Satch' Pecori, Chairman and Cheif Executive Officer of Hanson Professional Services and CEE alum, talks with fellow alumni during cocktail hour. Distinguished Alumni Award winner Jesus de la Garza shakes hands with CEEAA President Dana Mehlman as he accepts his certificate on stage. CEEAA Vice President Dan Whalen laughs while in conversation during cocktail hour. Distinguished Alumni Award winner Jesus de la Garza and Professor Mani Golparvar-Fard chat with alumni. CEEAA Board Member Lauren Logan poses in front of the Illinois-themed backdrop. Two alumni looking at a phone to see how their picture turned out. CEE Professor Marcelo Garcia and two attending alumni pose for a picture together. A group of alumni chat during cocktail hour. CEEAA Board member Adrianne Ball and 2025 Young Alumni Achievement Award winner Timothy Alston pose in front of an Illinois themed backdrop. CEEAA President Dana Mehlman talks to YED Chair Person Amber DeCarlo during cocktail hour. CEEAA President Dana Mehlman stands at the podium on stage, delivering opening remarks before dinner begins. CEEAA Board Member Matt Johnson laughing in conversation with fellow alumni. CEEAA Vice President Dan Whalen talking to someone with their back turned to the camera during cocktail hour. CEEAA Vice President Dan Whalen addresses the cocktail hour crowd on behalf of Hanson Professional Services, the cocktail hour sponsor for the 2026 Alumni Dinner. A CEE alum smiles at the camera while surrounded by other alumni during cocktail hour. Distinguished Alumni Award winner Michael Kreger stands on stage and accepts his certificate from CEEAA President Dana Mehlman. Two alumni talking during cocktail hour. A CEE alumni smiles while chatting at cocktail hour. Two CEE alumni talking and smiling during cocktail hour. A view of CEEAA Vice President Dan Whalen's cocktail hour speech from the crowd. A candid shot of alumni talking during cocktail hour. A group of alumni talking during cocktail hour. CEEAA President Dana Mehlman and Distinguished Alumni Award winner Michael Kreger pose together, holding Kreger's award certificate between them. Two alumni check out the list of sponsors displayed at the event. CEEAA President Dana Mehlman and Distinguished Alumni Award winner Jesus de la Garza pose together, holding de la Garza's certificate between them. CEE Assistant Director of Alumni and Career Services Amy Whitaker and CEEAA Vice President Dan Whalen pose for a picture together. CEEAA President Dana Mehlman and Young Alumni Achievement Award winner Ugwem Eneyo Showumni pose together with Ugwem's certificate held between them. CEE Department Head Ana Barros; Young Alumni Achievement Award Winner Ugwem Eneyo Showunmi; Distinguished Alumni Award winners Martha VanGeem, Jesus de la Garza, and Michael Keger; and CEEAA President Dana Mehlman pose for a photo together. CEEAA Board Member Lance Langer chats with a group of fellow alumni during cocktail hour. A group of alumni chatting during cocktail hour. Professor Imad Al-Qadi talks with alumni. A group of three alumni chatting during cocktail hour. The dining room at the Union League Club, set up for dinner. Two men chatting over drinks during cocktail hour at the 2026 Alumni Dinner. A group of alumni in conversation during cocktail hour. CEEAA President Dana Mehlman and CEEAA Past President Dave Byrd pose together. Two alumni in conversation during cocktail hour. An attendee takes a photo of two other attendees in front of the Illinois themed background. CEEAA Vice President Dan Whalen standing in front of a promotional poster for Hanson Professional Services and addressing the cocktail hour crowd. Hanson was the cocktail hour sponsor for the Alumni Dinner. Two alumni chat in front of the photo booth. A group of alumni reminisce together during cocktail hour. Two alumni chatting during cocktail hour. Distinguished Alumni Award winner Martha VanGeem poses with her family, who attended to support her.

2026 Alumni Award Winners

Jesus M. de la Garza
(MS 84, PhD 88)
2026 CEEAA Distinguished Alumni Award
Michael Kreger
(BS 79, MS 81, PhD 83)
2026 CEEAA Distinguished Alumni Award
Ugwem Eneyo Showunmi
(BS 13)
2026 CEEAA Young Alumni Achievement Award
Martha G. VanGeem
(BS 76)
2026 CEEAA Distinguished Alumni Award

See Previous Winners

 

2026 Alumni Dinner Sponsors

WELCOME RECEPTION SPONSOR

 

DIAMOND LEVEL

   

   

PLATINUM LEVEL
Haskell Co. RME (Rubinos & Mesia Engineers) Specialty Consulting, Inc.
W.A. Randolph Vedder Crawford, Murphy & Tilly

GOLD LEVEL
Ameren Transmission Andy Richardson CHA Consulting, Inc.
Collins Engineers Cummins Engineering Corporation EXP
Oates Associates Shannon & Wilson R.M. Chin & Associates
Thornton Thomasetti Czaplicki Lopez, PLLC Kiewit
Ciorba Group, Inc. Mott MacDonald Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
  Dixon O'Brien & Associates, PLLC  

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This story was published March 24, 2026.