John W. Price Award for Volunteer Service to International Understanding

Rory Presto is a Senior at the University of Illinois majoring in Structural Engineering. As a member of the Y affiliated student organization Engineers Without Borders, Rory served first as a Project Lead for EWB’s Ecuador project, then a Co-Project Lead on the Rwanda Water Project. In these Project Lead roles, Rory facilitated the transition of the two projects, from closure, to selection and implementation. 

Working tirelessly to establish relationships with not only local engineers near Kigali, but with the community itself they ensured that all project and travel team members remained in close and thoughtful contact with the projects' communities. As the lead on a project involving the collection, filtration, and distribution systems for an international water supply, Rory dedicated themself to not only developing the project's student team as engineers, but as global citizens cognizant of their role in working on an international engineering project through a Western lens. Using the engineering design as a framework, Rory emphasized significant cultural and socioeconomic factors of those the project served. 

Their commitment to international development and volunteer service is an inspiring example of how one individual can foster meaningful connections across cultures and communities, and exemplifies the values of service and understanding central to the John W. Price Award.