Outstanding Purdue engineering graduates receive Zimmerman Family Award
Outstanding in all aspects.
That’s how the recipients of the Zimmerman Family Award are recognized annually by the Women in Engineering (WiE) Program. Navya Datla (computer engineering) and Isa Hollenstein (biomedical engineering) are recipients who graduated in May 2026.
The annual award began in 1967 with an endowment funded by the Zimmerman family, including the late Robert (BSCE ’32), wife Ann and daughter Mary Ann (BSCE ’66, MSCE ’68). The award, the most prestigious given by Purdue University’s Women in Engineering Program, recognizes senior students who are exceptional in multiple regards — academics, leadership, research, community involvement and general impact at Purdue.
“The Zimmerman Family Award is intended to recognize a graduating senior who not only has achieved academic excellence but also excellence in leadership, service, research and more, essentially being an outstanding engineering student in all aspects,” said Beth Holloway, the Leah H. Jamieson Director of Women in Engineering. “Graduates who have been recognized with the Zimmerman Family Award are outstanding representatives of Purdue engineers, and this year’s group is no exception.”
Going in blind: Navya Datla
Navya Datla knew Purdue had a strong engineering college.
But she didn’t know how big it was. At least, in fall 2022. Datla now knows Purdue better than she knows her Charlotte, North Carolina, neighborhood. Initially inspired to attend Purdue by the biomedical engineering opportunities, Datla discovered semiconductors and quickly shifted her focus to computer engineering.
Even if she didn’t quite know what a semiconductor was.
“I thought engineering was solving problems to make the world better, but that felt really broad,” Datla said. “Now, I know so much more about what engineering is and its details. But at a high level, I still think it's about changing the world through innovation, problem solving and researching to make the world better.”
Datla knew she was going to need some guidance, so she turned to WiE’s Mentees & Mentors (M&M) Program as a first-semester first-year student. Grouped with a mentor in ECE and simultaneously taking ENGR 19400 (Women in Engineering Seminar), Datla got comfortable asking questions and making connections, both friendly and professional.
Teamwork quickly became one of Datla’s favorite ways to study and work. Within the next year, Datla served on the M&M leadership team (LT) and remained a part of the LT until graduating in May 2026. Her mentorship included regularly validating her mentees’ feelings — even when the mentees brought hard emotions with them into meetings — and guiding them toward solutions after providing comfort.
The courage built up in four years with WiE as a support is what Datla plans to take into two internships — at IBM and AMD, respectively — before completing a master’s degree in 2027.
“I was never confident about my voice when I was younger,” Datla said. “Being recognized (with the Zimmerman Family Award) for the way I've been able to grow over these years and become a great engineer and someone who gives voices to others who might not feel like theirs matter, I think is amazing for me.”
Unattainable to achievement: Isa Hollenstein
Growing up, Isa Hollenstein admired her mother. But the biomedical engineering career Mom had? That was unattainable.
Or so Isa thought. Mom Jennifer signed Isa up for Exploring Engineering as a high school senior in spring 2022 to show off how accessible and amazing engineering was.
It worked. Isa was hooked. She was going to follow in her mother’s footsteps. And WiE was going to be her guiding light.
Hollenstein lived in the Learning Community, enrolled in ENGR 194 and M&M to get her first year at Purdue off to the best start possible. The built-in community ameliorated the transition to a new place and pace. Already in spring 2023, then first-year Hollenstein wanted to spend the next three and a half years giving back. She joined the WE Link team, writing postcards for visiting and admitted students to introduce WiE to 11th and 12th grade students. She created social content to introduce the WiE community to thousands online. And she remained in M&M each year.
She also went to Belgium and France with her ENGR 29600 classmates in spring 2024. When it came to WiE, Hollenstein was determined to glean as much as she could. As the spring semester drew to a close, Hollenstein was excited to take the wisdom and network bestowed upon her in the program in her future career.
And she was delighted that her mom saw her graduate on May 14.
“It’s an amazing experience, to be recognized for all of the dedication and hard work I've put into not only my degree, but in the Women in Engineering Program,” said Hollenstein, from Grayslake, Illinois. “It reinforces my passion for being a biomedical engineer in general and pushes me to continue making an impact.”