The Peer of Peers award was named from a Roman Republic title, <em>Primus inter Pares</em>, which means first among equals.

The idea came about when the class of 1984 was planning their 25-year reunion to take place over the Alumni weekend. Of course, we were excited to be seeing our classmates. Like you, we had worked hard and played hard and had a lot of great memories to relive, and lives to catch up. But all that was tempered by a sadness that one of us was no longer here.

Michael Lazar was a good friend, classmate, project partner, and colleague.

After conferring with the class of ‘83, the idea of a legacy came up and we thought that some kind of award might be a possibility. While we wanted to remember Michael, our friend, we realized what we wanted others to remember about him was that he was the person in our class you'd think to go to for help, get on your project, recruit for your club, or invite to a party. He was The Peer in our class of peers.

The Peer of Peers award recipient is selected jointly by the Computer Engineering class and ECE professors as the person who is the Engineer you'd most like to work with.

Recipients of this award are so proud of this recognition that they make a point of including the award on their resumes. This award has a lasting impact on the recipients, and we want to come together as Computer Engineering alumni to make this award do even more.

Currently the Peer of Peers Endowment Fund is at $58,000. **We want to bring that to over $100,000, and make the award even more impactful.** Together we can ensure future recipients are equipped to make the most of their university experience and truly embody the spirit of this award and Michael’s legacy. Join us as we make this amazing award even better!

Computer Engineering Peer of Peers Award Amplifier

Ends On: December 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM MST