The sense of community that Nellie Hohne thoroughly enjoyed as a student is continuing as a proud and loyal alumna who has begun a two-year presidency of the Institute’s Alumni Advisory Board.

Hohne, a 1999 mechanical engineering graduate, has been an AAB member for nearly the past decade, serving as vice president (2021-23) and chair of the board’s awards committee.

She and her husband, 1999 chemical engineering alumnus Dan Hohne, have established the endowed Hohne-Magnanti Scholarship fund (named on behalf of their families) to help Rose-Hulman students realize their career goals while sharing the same experiences the couple enjoyed as campus leaders and dedicated students.

“The Alumni Advisory Board is a great way to stay involved with campus, help out the college and keep up to date on the changes that are continuously happening,” said Nellie, a former leader of Rose-Hulman’s Chi Omega sorority. “Dan and I truly enjoyed our time at Rose and try to get back as often as we can for Homecoming and other special events.

“Rose-Hulman gave us so much. The day that I walked across the stage and received my diploma is still one of the proudest moments of my life. I will never forget the experience that I had (at Rose) and want to give back and help in any way I can,” she continued. “We established the scholarship fund to honor the support our families provided us, while ensuring that other students have the same opportunities that we enjoyed. If we can help another student afford to attend Rose, we’re more than happy to do so.”

The Hohnes live in Newburgh, Indiana, where they are raising their two children to possibly follow in their parents’ pathways in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Both children have joined Nellie and Dan during campus trips and the oldest child, a high school junior, is just starting the college search process. She recently visited Rose-Hulman and saw the Baur-Sames-Bogart (BSB) residence hall room that Nellie lived in during the 1995-96 school year as a member of the college’s inaugural incoming class of female first-year students.   

“It was nice to see our artwork and signatures still on the BSB hallways, just as we (members of the Class of 1999) left them,” Nellie said. “Rose felt like home from the time I first visited campus (from Texas) to today when I return for alumni events. It’s a special place, with great people and strenuous academics, that I hope others can enjoy.”

Hohne replaces Kedar Murthy, a 1984 chemical engineering alumnus, who is now AAB’s past president.

Amanda Stapleton, a 2006 mechanical engineering alumna, is serving as the board’s vice president.

Beginning two-year AAB terms are Amy Cary, a 1998 chemical engineering alumna; R. Neil Irwin, a 1963 civil engineering alum; Andrew Novotny, a 2020 mechanical engineering graduate; Bill Schott, a 1974 mathematics alum; Casey Schroeppel, a 2004 chemical engineering alumna; Jeffery Smiley, a 2008 civil engineering graduate; and Floyd Yager, 1989 mathematics alum.