2023-2024 Tim Cook Scholars Recipients 

Alex Washburn is a senior studying industrial and systems engineering with a minor in business engineering technology. He is originally from Blountsville, Ala.

Alex chose to study industrial and systems engineering because his passion is helping and providing support for others. Following his freshman year, he was able to participate in an undergraduate research project for the civil engineering department over the summer. The project’s goal was to study the structural failure of large area maintenance systems for the Air Force caused by strong winds. Through this research, Alex states that he gained many valuable skills and experience from the professors and undergraduate students that assisted with the project.

Alex has been involved in the co-op program at Auburn University. Through this program, he has accepted a co-op position as a research and development engineer for RAPA, a manufacturing company. He accepted this position because he wanted to broaden his knowledge of engineering not common in the traditional industrial and system engineering setting. There he hopes to learn valuable lessons that will help him become a more well-rounded industrial engineer.

In his spare time, Alex volunteers with mission projects at a local church, helping with the videography during Sunday worship, and attends church projects throughout the year.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Alex plans on pursuing an industrial and systems engineering master’s degree at Auburn University and to continue working with the church in missions. He believes that the greatest way to live life is to serve others. 

Deena Sayegh is a senior studying industrial and systems engineering. Originally from Auburn, Deena's parents are natives of Jordan, so she is fluent in Arabic.

Deena chose to study industrial and systems engineering because she has a passion for efficiency in every workplace and believes that industrial engineering can be applied to any environment.

During her time at Auburn, Deena has worked as a co-op employee for Mercedes for three semesters. She has worked in various departments, which include Vehicle Program Management, Supplier Quality Engineering, and Quality Auditing Systems. Her duties have included assisting in various carline trials, aiding in rework and scrap trials at the battery supplier, and auditing the line.

Deena is currently a member of pro-life student organization Students for Life, Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, and a high school youth group leader at St. Michael’s Catholic Church. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her niece and nephew.

After graduation, Deena plans to pursue a master’s and doctorate in industrial and systems engineering.