Founded in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Student Alumni Association Board was built to promote MSOE pride and traditions through events and programs that benefit students, campus and the community. It focuses on building leadership skills, connecting students with alumni and donors, raising awareness about the impact of philanthropy and preparing members to be active MSOE alumni.

Meet Ben Leshin

For UX senior Ben Leshin, a beloved family recipe for pumpkin risotto is more than just Thanksgiving staple; it’s a lesson in community. This was a lesson he shared as one of the founding members of the MSOE Grub Club, which was dedicated to teaching students on campus how to cook. During one Thanksgiving season, Ben brought his family's recipe to the club.

“The pumpkin risotto is something my aunt always made growing up,” Ben shares. “She taught a high school foods class for several years, and it was one of the recipes she used in her course. It’s been a family favorite, and I continued its legacy by teaching students to make it at MSOE.”

 His personal drive to connect people is a key part of Ben's campus identity. Originally from Elgin, IL, he came to MSOE as a transfer student to study mechanical engineering. After realizing his true passion lay in design and human-centered problem-solving, he switched his major to User Experience (UX) and now specializes in creating impactful solutions through deep research and informed designs.

Since then, his student engagement has spread across campus. He is a member of the University Innovation Fellows, where he works to create a centralized network of resources and communications for the various innovation/maker spaces at MSOE. He also serves as the president of the Raider 3D Club and is a member of the Student Alumni Association Board.

Although the Grub Club has since disbanded, the legacy of his family’s pumpkin risotto continues. Ben's family still makes it every year—and he’s excited to share it with our alumni community this Thanksgiving. A warm reminder that food is one of the most universal ways to bring communities and traditions together.

2025-2026 Board Members

• Helen Bechthold, Civil Engineering
• Parker Cobb, User Experience
• Griffin Hill, Machine Learning
• Mia Hochstetler, Nursing
• Benjamin Leshin, User Experience
• Katrina Ohme, Biomedical Engineering
• Nathaniel Schmidt, Electrical Engineering
• Gabrielle Scott, Biomedical Engineering
• Gabrielle Sladek, User Experience
• Griffin Wilson, Mechanical Engineering
• Alexis Young, User Experience