Andrew ‘25 and John ‘27 Vanderwege come from a family that bleeds Orange. Not only have several relatives attended Syracuse University, but their parents, Maureen ‘97 and Mike ‘96, are graduates of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The University also happens to be the place where their parents would meet for the first time.
“We were floor mates the second half of my junior year at DellPlain Hall. Maureen and my roommate, who was also a sophomore engineering major at the time, knew each other,” their father, Mike recalls. “We only met at the end of the year. Our hometowns are only 20 minutes apart and we got to know each other that summer.”
Growing up, Andrew and John loved watching SU sports with their parents and frequently visited campus to attend home games at the Dome. So, when it came time to choose colleges to apply to, Syracuse was an easy choice. “[My parents] played a big role in my decision since both of them went to Syracuse and both studied engineering,” says John. “I also felt at home whenever I would visit the campus or go to a basketball or football game.”
Both Andrew and John are pursuing degrees in environmental engineering, with Andrew’s interest lying in climate change. He’s also a member of the Combustion and Energy Research (COMER) Laboratory and interning with the sustainable engineering company Ramboll as part of a soil remediation group for the summer. “I knew that I wanted to go into engineering and climate change has always been something that interested me,” says Andrew. “Environmental engineering seemed to give me the best chance at making a positive impact on the climate.”
John’s research interests include carbon capture, storage technology, and ocean acidification, areas he’s been able to explore through the civil and environmental engineering department’s comprehensive programs. He’s also considering other potential areas of study such as chemical engineering. “I wanted to do engineering since I enjoy hands-on activities as well as the math and science aspect of it,” says John. “I took an AP environmental class in high school which I enjoyed and made me realize that there are many different areas of the environment that can be studied.”
The two brothers’ passion for the environment goes beyond the classroom and they enjoy staying active as much as they love the outdoors. In their free time, the boys compete in Syracuse intramural sports like soccer and basketball and spend time hiking, biking, and backpacking. Since high school, John has also enjoyed playing ultimate frisbee and found Syracuse’s “Doom Ultimate Frisbee Club” the perfect place to get active and meet new people. “My favorite thing about Syracuse University is the opportunities available and the different majors on campus. It leads to the student body being comprised of people from all over and I really enjoy meeting others” says Andrew.
Mike and Maureen’s trips to Syracuse for sporting events and visiting their sons take them back to a time when they were students attending the University. “I remember falling in love with the campus and feeling a sense of belonging when I stepped foot on the Quad,” says Maureen.
“The campus is very much the same, and that’s a good thing. It feels like home,” says Mike.
Maureen, who currently works for her local school district as the Central Treasurer, received her bachelor’s in civil engineering and reflected on her experiences founding the Syracuse University chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon, a professional and social sorority for women interested in STEM. “The experience of starting a chapter was difficult but rewarding and I’m so happy to see that the Zeta chapter is flourishing.”
One of her favorite things about Syracuse was the smaller, personalized classes in ECS. “I got to know our professors and classmates well. My first-year ECS class for undecided engineers was with Dr. [Samuel] Clemence. He showed us an airport in Osaka Bay that was built on an artificial island, and I was instantly hooked on civil engineering.”
Mike, who received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, works as a Senior Manager of Mechanical Engineering for L3Harris. He loved that Syracuse University had a wide variety of programs and opportunities outside of engineering. He initially leaned towards aerospace, then civil but eventually chose mechanical engineering as his major.
“Realizing aerospace engineering may have a limited job market in western NY, combined with my enjoyment of the Mechanics of Materials class, I declared as a civil engineer after my sophomore year,” he says. “However, I had a mechanical engineering internship that summer in a manufacturing plant and I enjoyed the work they gave me along with the manufacturing culture. I therefore switched to mechanical engineering upon return to school at the start of my junior year.”
The parents couldn’t be more proud of their sons as they embark on the college experience and fully immerse themselves into Syracuse’s campus community. Keeping up with their traditions of attending SU sports games, they truly showcase a family united by their Orange pride.
“I could fill pages and pages with memories and stories of my time at SU,” Mike says. “Picking a favorite would be difficult. I will share this more recent memory…We were at a football game, with Andrew and John in the student section and Maureen and I in the upper level above them. Watching them cheer on the Orange, combined with knowing they are in the classrooms of Link, walking the Quad, going to Marshall Street, and experiencing all that is SU… it brought my love for the university to an indescribably higher level.”