New UGA grad named Georgia Engineering Student of the Year

Shelby Logan

Shelby Logan

Shelby Logan’s road to becoming a civil engineer was full of twists and turns. But once she found her bearings, the University of Georgia student excelled in the classroom, took on multiple leadership roles and gained valuable hands-on experience during internships. She graduates May 13 with more than 350 of her fellow engineering students during UGA’s Spring Commencement ceremony at Sanford Stadium.

Her commitment led to Logan being named the 2022 Georgia Engineering Student of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Georgia Section. The honor recognizes Logan’s academic success, her leadership in ASCE and her involvement in the community.

“It’s crazy because it’s not something you ever think you have a chance to win,” said Logan. “It’s such a huge honor.”

Winning the Georgia Engineering Student of the Year Award, or any engineering award,  couldn’t have been further from Logan’s mind a few years ago.

“When I was in middle school and high school, I was interested in every career except engineering. I was going to be a lawyer, I was going to be a journalist,” said Logan.

Shadowing an orthopedic surgeon during summers in high school turned Logan’s sights toward a career in medicine. She entered UGA as a biochemical engineering major with the intention of moving on to medical school after four years, but only two months into her college studies Logan’s aspirations shifted again.

“I fell in love with the community and the environment in the College of Engineering, so I wasn’t ready to leave and move to another college,” she said. “I wanted to switch to another engineering major.”

A long discussion with a student mentor she met through the Society of Women Engineers chapter in the college led Shelby to try civil engineering.

“It’s almost like something I just fell into but I never looked back. I was very lucky to really enjoy civil engineering and to want to make it my career.”

Graduating this week with her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Logan will begin working full-time with Bohler Engineering in Dallas, Texas in June. The firm has 29 offices across the U.S. and specializes in land development consulting and technical design in the commercial, institutional and residential sectors. Logan completed an internship with Bohler last summer and has been working remotely part-time with the company during her senior year in college.

Logan credits the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) chapter in the UGA College of Engineering with quickly solidifying her decision to switch majors and career paths.

“The minute I went to my first ASCE meeting, I knew this was the career for me. There are so many disciplines within civil engineering and that’s very exciting.”

Despite a rigorous course load, internships, and working part-time, Logan found time to take on several leadership roles on campus. In ASCE, she served as fundraising chair her sophomore year and vice president of external affairs her junior year before being named the chapter’s president this year. She held multiple leadership roles with Inspire UGA, an organization that mentors eighth grade students in the Clarke County School District on higher education opportunities. In addition, Logan served as a Student Ambassador for the College of Engineering for two years, representing the college to prospective students and corporate partners.

“These organizations produced some of the best memories I have had in college and if there is one piece of advice I have for any freshman, it is to get involved on campus. These organizations have opened so many doors for me and everything I have accomplished in my four years at UGA were due to my involvement.”

By Mike Wooten | Submitted photos


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