Wade Named 2009 McDonald Mentor by Tau Beta Pi

TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 1, 2009) - Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, has named Dr. Thomas E. Wade, professor of electrical engineering for 40 years (24 of them at USF), its fourth McDonald Mentor. He will be honored on Oct. 17 at the 2009 annual national convention to be held in East Brunswick, N.J.

Established in 2005 by Marion and Capers W. McDonald and the Association, the McDonald Mentor award recognizes engineering educators or professionals in industry, government, or service organizations who have shown true concern for the individual, supporting an environment for developing talents, and who have earned respect and recognition for their contributions to their field and to the greater community.

“My greatest motivation is the students because I enjoy encouraging them toward bigger and better things,” said Dr. Wade. “I have found that one of the best ways to motivate a student in class is to get to know them outside of class. It takes extra time but it’s very worthwhile.”

The award was created to celebrate excellence in mentoring and advising among Tau Beta Pi educators and engineers who have consistently supported the personal and professional development of their students and colleagues. While the primary goal of Tau Beta Pi is to recognize students of superior scholarship and exemplary character and to honor eminent practicing engineers, the Association also lauds excellence in engineering education and in the ethical practice of engineering.

Dr. Wade, advisory board chairman of Tau Beta Pi’s Florida Gamma Chapter for 14 years, exemplifies the qualities of a McDonald Mentor through his strong belief in providing student mentorship and scholarships.

This year’s College of Engineering Heart of Gold Scholarship Awards event will honor the recipient of the first Wade Scholarship, a need-based scholarship for engineering graduate and undergraduate students who are Tau Beta Pi members. Dr. Wade initiated this scholarship with the honorarium received for being named the Tau Beta Pi National Outstanding Advisor in 2007. He also plans to contribute the honorarium from the McDonald award to this scholarship, which was fully funded from personal funds and with the help of Dean John Wiencek and college of engineering matching funds. Additionally, he has developed student scholarships and outstanding faculty awards at Trinity College of Florida, New Port Richey, Toccoa Falls College in Georgia and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisiana.

Tau Beta Pi, the world’s largest engineering society, has initiated more than 500,800 members since it was founded in 1885. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Association has 234 active collegiate chapters and 16 active alumnus chapters throughout the country.

The University of South Florida is one of the nation's top 63 public research universities and one of 39 community-engaged, four-year public universities as designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. USF was awarded more than $360 million in research contracts and grants in FY 2007/2008. The university offers 224 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The university has a $1.8 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves more than 46,000 students on institutions/campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.

– USF –