Marcus Lannie, a 2022 graduate of the School of Mechanical Engineering, has been selected as the recipient of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Charles T. Main Student Section Leadership Award, the international organization’s highest honor.

Lannie received the award “for outstanding leadership as an ASME student chapter president, increasing the number and diversity of student membership, developing successful internship programs, and mentoring dozens of students.”

Marcus Lannie

During his time at Purdue, his ASME Purdue chapter involvement was extensive. In 2022, he was the chairman of the board and led ASME’s strategy as the team grew to more than 450 members, won the SAO’s Student Organization of the Year Award and consulted for dozens of ASME chapters around the world. In 2021, he was president, co-founder and CEO of the Prosthetics Design Team and grew ASME’s team from 10 to 300 members in less than one year. In 2020, he was vice president, chief engineer and technical lead for multiple engineering design teams, including the 3D printed lacrosse stick team, softball helmet team and self-spotting weight rack team. In 2019, he was lead design engineer.

Lannie is one of only three recipients from Purdue to receive the award, which was established in 1925.

“It’s definitely a cool feeling, and being the third Boilermaker to win one of the most prestigious awards for students also shows Purdue’s continued strength in engineering throughout the last century,” said Lannie, who earned his bachelor’s degree, as well as minors in economics and intercultural communication, in just three years.

While a student, Lannie, of Arlington Heights, Illinois, began his own public speaking business, Marcus’ Morning Minute. For nearly two years on LinkedIn, he made daily videos focused on professional development, student leadership and the power of optimism, which generated more than 2 million views. In addition, he has given presentations to more than 1,000 students in 2022 about branding, networking and landing professional opportunities.

“Some of my most notable speaking engagements include being invited to speak on Purdue’s Career for Career Opportunities podcast, Purdue’s ENGR 103 and MGMT 295 classes, panels for high schoolers making their college decisions, young professional clubs at Fortune 500 companies, and ASME chapters and other clubs in countries including India, Colombia and Azerbaijan," he said.

While a full-time student, he also worked as a product manager at A-Laser where he managed a product line driving $15 million in annual revenue. He also completed internships at G&W Electric Co., Rolls-Royce and Rogo Ag. As a project manager for Purdue’s EPICS program, he spearheaded the product design process for individuals with visual impairments and various mental and physical disabilities to complete factory work and earn a living wage.

Beginning in fall 2022, he will pursue his master’s in mechanical engineering with a concentration in product management at the University of California, Berkeley. After graduating, he hopes to found his own startup or pursue a fellowship at a venture capital firm.

“In the long term, I’d love to run a company developing products that improve the quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” Lannie said.

“The Boilermaker network is vast and strong, particularly in the Midwest, and I have landed every one of my jobs through Purdue’s network. Purdue’s size, paired with its endless extracurricular opportunities, allows students to explore many of their interests in industry and academia,” Lannie said. “A majority of my learning happened outside the classroom in clubs, internships and conversations with faculty and classmates at (Harry's) Chocolate Shop.”

The ASME award consists of a $3,000 honorarium, vermeil medal, certificate and a travel supplement not to exceed $750.

“Receiving this award solidifies the massive positive impact ASME has had here at Purdue," he said. "We’ve helped hundreds of students from all majors land internships by providing the opportunity to work on real-life projects while building a support network of other ASME members. I’m very blessed to be recognized for my efforts with Purdue ASME and am excited to see how the chapter continues to grow with our strong next generation of leaders.”

Lannie’s advice for incoming Purdue students is to get involved soon after arriving on campus.

“The best way to learn what you like to do is by actually doing things. Whether it’s joining a club, working an internship or taking a class, you will never know if something is for you until you try it. Instead of chasing awards, strive to make an impact, and you’ll grow more than you ever thought possible," he said.