July 01, 2026
A Trine University civil engineering graduate was part of a team that developed a
project that earned top honors from the Indiana Section of the American Society of
Civil Engineers (ASCE) this spring.
Russel Reynolds, who graduated in 2019, has been a road engineer with Janssen & Spaans Engineering (JSE) in Indianapolis for the past five years.
He worked in a civil site design role on the Clear Creek Welcome Center in Terre Haute, Indiana, which was named the ASCE Project of the Year.
Inspired by Indy 500
A $54 million project, the Clear Creek Welcome Center opened in November as part of the statewide welcome center improvement plan implemented by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). The plan includes constructing new buildings, modernizing facilities, increasing truck parking and improving pedestrian parking at 21 rest areas and welcome centers.
Clear Creek's design was inspired by the Indy 500.
The project included the removal and reconstruction of the existing welcome center along I-70 in Vigo County, Indiana, and resulted in increased trucker parking spaces and two additional trucker restrooms.
Janssen & Spaans Engineering provided overall project management, including parking lot geometry, drainage and utility coordination, and ensured the project complied with INDOT standards and specifications.
Russel’s role included the development of the site layout and drainage design, in addition to periodically inspecting the project during construction to verify that work was being performed in accordance with the contract documents, plans and specifications.
“As with most construction projects, each effort presents its own unique challenges and collaboration among each discipline within the project team,” he said. “There is a ton of coordination that is involved, especially when it comes to site layout, amenities and all the underground infrastructure. In my experience being part of a few welcome center projects, coordination is a consistent and critical component to project success.”
Russel said it felt “great” to be recognized and credited the entire team for their effort and dedication. He added that many of his projects at Trine prepared him for his work on Clear Creek.
“Many courses incorporated group-based projects, which helped develop a foundation in teamwork,” he said. “The ability to apply classroom knowledge to project-based assignments provided useful skills that can be applied to real-world practice.”
The Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society recently named Trine University pre-med biology student Lauren Hillin of Charlotte, North Carolina, its Foy-Sagabiel Undergraduate Scholar Leader of the Year.
Two Trine University students — Chloe Laird, a chemical engineering major from Warsaw, Indiana, and Makenzie Amich, a forensic science major from Thorntown, Indiana — recently had the opportunity to connect with thousands of chemistry professionals and students from across the country at the American Chemical Society (ACS) national meeting in Chicago.
Steuben County community members are invited to join Trine University students and alumni and local businesses for Breaking the Silence Together, the university's inaugural mental health walk, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.