CSE student awarded 2026 Zander Alumni Award for Outstanding Student Leadership

13 other CSE students receive President’s Student Leadership and Service Awards

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/28/2026) - University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (CSE) undergraduate student Henry Karpovas Lisak has been awarded the 2026 Donald R. Zander Alumni Award for Outstanding Student Leadership. This award recognizes students who have exceptional academic achievement, personal character, outstanding leadership and service to the University of Minnesota.

Lisak, who is majoring in mechanical engineering, is a recipient of the Edwin H. & Houghton Lee Study Abroad Scholarship Alumni and the Scholarship for Student Leaders. In college, Lisak got involved quickly with leadership and community-focused organizations. 

He is the founder and vice president of the student chapter of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The group focuses on engineering, sustainable thermal systems and building stronger connections between students and industry professionals.

Lisak, who has said he is most proud of advocating for the adoption of Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative at the University of Minnesota, serves on the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) Alumni Society Board. As student representative, he supports mentorship, outreach, networking and alumni engagement initiatives within CSE. He previously served as a Welcome Week leader, helping incoming students transition to college life. 

“Leadership has given me a broader understanding of engineering itself,” said Lisak. “Beyond the technical knowledge, I learned how important communication, adaptability, teamwork and institution-building are in creating meaningful impact. Those experiences have pushed me to grow not only as an engineering student, but also as someone who wants to contribute to larger communities and organizations over time.”

Five undergraduate students University wide, including Lisak, received the Zander Alumni Award this year. It’s presented annually as a $3,000 scholarship from the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.

President’s Student Leadership Awards

This May, 13 CSE students were among the 68 students across the University of Minnesota who received 2026 President’s Student Leadership and Service Awards:

Undergraduate Students

• Courtney Archibald - Materials Science & Engineering
• Nina Arleth - Physics
• Alexander Eich - Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Timothy Ekblad - Environmental Engineering
• Diya Menon - Computer Science and Data Science
• Mira Patel - Industrial and Systems Engineering

Graduate Students

• Elise Catania -  Ph.D. Mathematics
• Tonushree Dutta - Ph.D. Electrical Engineering
• Tasnim Akbar Faruquee - Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering
• Sourav Kumar Ghosh - Ph.D. Electrical Engineering
• Eaindra Yee - Ph.D. Chemistry
• Christof Zweifel - Ph.D. Earth Sciences

Support the next generation of leaders in STEM at the University of Minnesota.

Story by Kalie Pluchel