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Outstanding graduates
Join us in celebrating some of WashU’s outstanding graduates — students who’ve made a mark on our campus and are ready to embark upon their next adventures.
Emma Chavez
Emma Chavez, a biomedical engineering graduate from Fort Worth, Texas, reflects on her time as a McKelvey Engineering student as one of discovery, growth and countless late-night study sessions with friends — the kind that start with textbooks and end with deep conversations and a lot of laughter. It’s those spontaneous moments in the Whitaker Atrium that she’ll remember most, where ideas flowed as freely as the caffeine.
One of Emma’s proudest achievements came during her senior year, when she helped create a medical device from scratch as part of her capstone project. Going through the full design process was both challenging and rewarding, giving her the chance to turn a rough concept into a real-world solution — a fitting finale to her engineering journey.
Emma’s interest in cardiac health was sparked in Quantitative Physiology 1, a course that deepened her understanding of the human body and shaped her future career goals. With plans to work in industry, Emma is ready to take the skills and friendships she’s built at McKelvey into this next chapter.
Davin Hickman-Chow
Davin Hickman-Chow, a biomedical engineering graduate from McAllen, Texas, is taking the next step in his academic journey at WashU, pursuing a Master’s in biomedical engineering with a focus on neurosurgery research before heading to medical school.
For Davin, one of the most impactful parts of his McKelvey experience was Dan Moran’s Translational Neuroengineering course, which opened his eyes to the cutting-edge potential of electrical stimulation in treating neurological disorders.
He’ll always remember the unwavering support of his professors, who made learning both stress-free and exciting, and helped guide him through the challenges of his undergraduate journey.
Among his many accomplishments, Davin is especially proud of serving as the 2024 Student Convocation Speaker, representing McKelvey Engineering to his fellow graduates.
His favorite part of being a McKelvey student? The powerful connections and lifelong relationships he’s built with peers, professors and industry leaders — connections that will continue to shape his future.
Davin also sends a special thank you to Patricia Widder, Lori Setton, Eric Leuthardt, Joe Klaesner and his family and friends for their unwavering support.
Jenna Do Nguyen
Outstanding Graduate: Jenna Do Nguyen
Degrees: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering; M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Oxnard, CA, & Phoenix, AZ
Next step: Joining McMaster-Carr in Cleveland, OH
Jenna is graduating with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees — in just four years. As a first-generation student on academic scholarship, she's especially proud to be earning her degrees debt-free.
She’ll always remember the all-nighters with friends — challenging at the time, but now some of her most cherished memories.
Jenna credits Professor Patricia Widder as a key mentor: “She always assured me that I was capable of doing what I put my mind to and always knew the perfect thing to say when we were struggling the most.”
Her favorite classes ranged from bioelectric phenomena to multidisciplinary design and prototyping — where she discovered a passion for hands-on research and development.
Kaitlyn Sallee
Meet Outstanding Graduate Kaitlyn Sallee
Originally from Jackson, Michigan, Kaitlyn is graduating with her degree in biomedical engineering.
Kaitlyn is a natural maker, problem-solver and champion for community impact. This spring, she co-led an event to build and donate custom wheelchairs for toddlers with physical disabilities in St. Louis — a project that combined her engineering skills with her heart for service.
She also found a second home in the Spartan Light Metal Products Makerspace at McKelvey, where students from all disciplines can come together to tackle challenges, share ideas and support one another. It’s that sense of community, combined with the practical skills she picked up in courses like Multidisciplinary Design & Prototyping with Jackson Potter, that she’ll carry with her as she begins her next chapter.
Next up for Kaitlyn: pursuing a master’s degree in Engineering Design Innovation at Northwestern University, where she’ll continue bringing bold ideas to life.
Emily Shen
Meet Outstanding Graduate Emily Shen
B.S. in Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: San Jose, California
For Emily, McKelvey Engineering was more than just a place to earn a degree — it was a community of supportive mentors, late-night study sessions and meaningful projects that pushed her to grow as both a student and a future biomedical engineer.
Reflecting on her time at McKelvey, Emily credits Patricia Widder with making her feel especially welcome and valued. “She’s truly the backbone of the WashU BME program,” Emily shared. “She made a genuine effort to connect with each and every one of her students, which made a huge difference in my experience.”
Emily’s proudest moment came during her senior year, when she helped develop an instructional inhaler device as part of her capstone project — a challenging yet deeply rewarding opportunity to translate classroom concepts into real-world impact.
As she looks to the future, Emily remains inspired by the spirit of collaboration and innovation she found at McKelvey. Whether it was late nights in Brauer with friends, cramming for exams or soaking in the energy of Whitaker’s labs, those chaotic, caffeine-fueled moments captured the heart of her engineering journey.
Grant Uldrich
Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Grant is graduating with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from McKelvey Engineering.
Whether he's headed to Wisconsin as a technical solutions engineer or spending a year as a surgical recovery specialist before med school, Grant is ready to make an impact in health care.
One course that changed everything? Intro to Biomedical Engineering. It sparked his passion for the field and gave him a solid foundation, thanks in large part to Professor Widder’s enthusiasm and support: “She made BME feel like home.”
Unforgettable moment? One quantitative physiology lab week — 25+ hours of MATLAB code, friends coming in clutch the night before the deadline.
What he’ll remember most: the incredible relationships formed with classmates and professors.
