Stankievech Receives Prestigious Award

Princeton hockey senior Landis Stankievech was one of two Princeton seniors to share the University's Moses Taylor Pyne Honor Prize and was recognized during Princeton's Alumni Day ceremonies on Saturday afternoon. The Pyne Honor Prize, the highest general distinction conferred on an undergraduate, is awarded to the senior who has most clearly manifested excellent scholarship, strength of character and effective leadership.

Stankievech, who is from Trochu, Alberta, Canada, is majoring in mechanical and aerospace engineering. He was one of three Princeton students named Rhodes Scholars this year, and plans to earn a second bachelor's degree at Oxford in a joint program in philosophy, politics and economics.

He has served as a team leader in his engineering courses, guiding other students in their efforts to create projects ranging from a furniture-moving robot to a two-stage rocket to a hypersonic jet. "Qualities that I would use to describe Landis are 'seated right up front and ready to learn,' a thirst for knowledge and a real knack for engineering analysis, a natural and effective leader, and a humble helper of his peers," said Michael Littman, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Stankievech also has taken several courses in the philosophy department. "Every one of the papers he wrote for my Aristotle course was outstanding, as good as any piece of undergraduate work I have seen in 10 years of teaching at Oxford and Princeton," said Hendrik Lorenz, associate professor of philosophy.

A gifted athlete, Stankievech is a member of Princeton's ice hockey team, earning conference, league and district academic honors. He has been involved in several youth programs, including teaching youngsters to skate in the Special Olympics Skating Program and coaching in the Princeton Youth Hockey Program.

In recognizing him at the Alumni Day ceremony, Princeton President Shirley M. Tilghman noted that Stankievech plans to study philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford, "giving him the insights he needs to tackle problems that 'require more than engineering innovations,' to use his own words. Landis, we wish you every success in this quest," she said, "and we thank you for setting an example of academic and athletic excellence that Princeton will long remember."