Extracurricular Activities
Fencing - March 2017 to December 2019: Training in 3 swords (saber, foil, épée) with a focus on épée fencing. Exploring Careers in Aviation Summer Program - June 2019 to July 2019: Rigorous team-oriented program exploring the aviation industry and related career fields. Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech Fencing Club President - October 2020 to March 2023: Responsible for training club members in épée fencing, facilitation of on-boarding new officers, and management of club resources. Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech Rocketry and Aerospace club - Member from September 2020 to June 2022, ASOIT Representative from June 2022 to March 2023: Active member with weekly participation in club meetings. Eventually elected to serve as the club's ASOIT representative, bridging club members with resources and information provided by student government. Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech Financial Allocations Committee Volunteer - February 2022 to March 2023: Acted as the Social and Recreational Clubs Representative on the allocations committee for student clubs. Tasked with providing the perspective of a recreational student club leader on allocation discussions. Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech New Student Housing Committee Volunteer - January 2023 to March 2023: Provided the perspective of an experienced student staff member within Housing and Residence Life as it relates to the construction of a new student dorm.
A Little Bit Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Me
Growing up I took interest in fencing and in the aerospace field, pursuing both areas through formal experiences. I was not able to maintain either interest at the onset of the pandemic, but quietly obtained a general associate degree before transferring to Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech. I began at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech during the height of the pandemic and with encouragement from the university, I elected to challenge myself through early leadership roles. I renewed my interests by joining a club on aerospace, and by founding a club on fencing. As I developed confidence, I started as a Resident Advisor in my second year. I established lasting commitments and have worked in the years since to enhance my own abilities. I have learned to enjoy teaching others and have tailored my involvements accordingly.
Why I Chose Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech and My Major
I chose to major in mechanical engineering due to my strong interests in aerospace. A degree in mechanical engineering will provide me with a broad foundation that will allow me to further specialize in this field. I chose this field as I believe advancement in aerospace will bring about advancement in other areas, ultimately resulting in a higher quality of life. I believe that majoring in mechanical engineering will let me do work that benefits the world. I chose Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech primarily for the MECOP internship program and am currently on my first internship with the Boeing Company. Second, the size of the school was desirable. I am able to interact directly with professors which is a major advantage.
My Influential Professors
The most influential professor I have had at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech is Dr. David Culler. I have had Dr. Culler for several classes, in all of which I greatly enjoyed. I believe that the first class I took with this professor is the best example. I took a machining class with Dr. Culler early on in my academic career and struggled with the projects. I worked through operations slowly and had to rework mistakes often. Dr. Culler prevented me from falling behind however, offering support and additional lab hours outside of those scheduled. I spent almost every Saturday that term in the shop working on projects and was successfully able to pass the course. In every class I take with Dr. Culler, I develop a strong understanding of the course material and regularly find applications for it outside the classroom. For example, I am currently out in industry and am utilizing programming skills and geometric tolerancing skills that I developed in different classes taught by Dr. Culler.
My Greatest Learning Experience At Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech
I joined Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Tech's Residence Life team first as a Resident Advisor, before rejoining the team as a Senior Resident Advisor. I will rejoin as a Senior Head Resident my senior year. Through this work, I gained professional competency in areas related to conflict management and communication. I grew confidence in my ability through numerous leadership and collaborative opportunities. I am currently out in industry where I draw heavily on the skills, confidence and lessons that I learned from my time with housing.
My Plans After Graduation
After graduating, I hope to go on to work within the aerospace industry, specifically on or around exploratory satellite systems. As I go into my senior year, I hope to explore this area in depth and begin to develop a more specialized background within it. As I advance academically, I take a lot of inspiration from missions I read about growing up, such as the Cassini Huygens mission. I would like to be involved in the design of the next generation of these feats of engineering.