Meet the 2025 ENGAP grads
This time of year is bittersweet for the Engineering Access Program (ENGAP). It’s a time where students complete their undergraduate degrees and step out into the world to start their careers as engineers or continue their educational journey with graduate programs. Graduating with a degree in engineering is no small feat. We congratulate these students on their amazing accomplishment and wish them the very best in their future endeavours.
Julius Andrews is a Métis student from Winnipeg, Manitoba who is graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Before entering university, Julius graduated from Westgate Mennonite Collegiate and the Canadian Mennonite University and is fluent in both French and English. He received many scholarships and awards from the University of Manitoba. Most recently, he held a summer position with Stantec doing power systems studies and has secured full-time employment with them.
Karina Buckingham is a First Nations graduate who is graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering. Throughout her studies she has had a high interest in structural engineering and project management and has enjoyed the various topics that are taught within a civil engineering degree. Karina is most proud of her persistence to finish her degree. Karina is currently working at AECOM as a structural designer as well as growing her project coordination skills.
Evan Evaniuk is a Métis student from Bison Local who is graduating with a degree in Computer Engineering with a focus in embedded systems, a minor in Computer Science and additional training in AI. He is planning on putting his expertise to good use in STARLab by pursuing a M.Sc. in computer engineering.
Evan relates to a motto from Raspberry Pi, “Make cool stuff”. He likes to learn electronics and program embedded systems because it feels like the closest thing to magic in reality. He has emulated this motto in his capstone project “Bot-Hoven: An anthropomorphic piano learning robot”, a collection of all his favourite parts of the degree brought to life.
Madan Frolek is Red River Métis and Polish from Winnipeg who is graduating with a degree in Biosystems Engineering with a Biomedical specialization. She is passionate about assistive technologies and her long-term aspiration is to focus on making assistive technology more accessible to everyone.
She is particularly proud of the diverse experiences she gained during her time in engineering, both academically and beyond the classroom. Through teams and groups, she has had diverse experiences, proven her skills and given back to the community. Most recently, she has been participating in the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment, a UM leadership program that has strengthened her leadership abilities and deepened her understanding of Indigenous culture, values and community engagement. These experiences have collectively helped shape her personal and professional growth, and she is proud of the positive impact she has made in each of these areas.
Braeden Gerbrandt is passionate about programming and will be graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering. During his time at university, he served as an instructor for ENGAP’s Introduction to Computer Science course and previously worked as a lab instructor. As a registered ENGAP tutor, Braeden enjoyed mentoring and supporting fellow students in their academic journeys.
Brendan Kropla is a Métis student from Winnipeg, Manitoba who is graduating with a degree in Computer Engineering. The Mathematics Department Head of his high school described Brendan as “driven, smart, well-spoken, and his work ethic is incredibly strong.” Brendan has been the President of the Engineering Access Student Association (EASA) for the last two years. He spent two summers working for MB Hydro and the last two for the Department of National Defence.
Logan Lundberg is a Métis student from Winnipeg, Manitoba, who is graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in structural and construction engineering, and a proud member of the Engineering Access Program (ENGAP). Passionate about DIY projects, architecture and design, Logan aims to use structural engineering to shape the future and bring ideas to life. He is committed to leading by example for Indigenous and Métis peoples within the engineering field and giving back to his community. After graduation, Logan plans to travel Europe before starting a full-time position as an EIT and pursuing their P.Eng designation.
Drake Pachkowsky is a Métis student from Pine Falls, Manitoba who graduated from Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School (LSRCSS). Opting for LSRCSS over his hometown high school, he pursued the drafting program to better prepare for university-level engineering courses. Since joining ENGAP, Drake has been an active member of the Engineering Access Student Association (EASA) and has served as its President. Drake is completing his degree in Electrical Engineering with a Power & Energy Systems focus. Drake has worked with Manitoba Hydro as a summer student for the past three summers and is set to begin full-time work with them after graduating.
Tanner Turnbull is originally from Cartier, Manitoba, but now lives in the west end of Winnipeg. He is of Métis descent and will be graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has an interest in automotive engineering, specifically vehicle dynamics. He is passionate about vehicle design and has a high attention to detail in the field. He is proud of the five years he spent on the UMSAE Formula Electric design team, working on the Powertrain section before taking on the roles of Suspension design lead, the Treasurer for the organization, and finally, the Team’s leader. Tanner plans on getting a job in the automotive industry after taking a trip with friends to Southeast Asia.
Rosemary Wilson is a Métis student from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. She is graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering with an Aerospace specialization. As a Co-op student, she worked with StandardAero for the last two summers. After graduation, Rosemary is moving to Montreal, Quebec.
Some final advice to future graduates from Logan Lundberg, “Seize every opportunity and look to others for guidance.”
Michael Esquash, Traditional Spirit Sand Singers from Swan Lake First Nation, and an ENGAP student, performing at the ENGAP Graduation Reception.
