Purdue men's golf headed into the offseason after a spring with several strong showings: one tie for first place in the 2018 Big Ten Match Play Championship and a first-place finish in the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate outing in April.

On the nine-man roster is Filippo Massobrio, a junior in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering. Just before he left for his summer internship at the geotechnical firm Hayward Baker Inc. in Chicago, he sat down with us for a Q&A.

Little-known fact: Speaks fluent Italian, English, Spanish and French

Why did you choose civil engineering as your major?

My dad is a civil engineer with an emphasis in geotechnical work. When I was a boy, he would take me out on jobs with him, and that's when I knew I wanted to become a civil engineer and focus on geotechnics as well.

Besides following in your father's footsteps, what else interested you about civil engineering?

I just feel like everything about society is rooted in civil engineering — and that really appeals to me. It's interesting to me to be part of something that is so important to the rest of the world.

Where did your passion for golf come from?

Also my dad [laughs]. We used to play a lot together, ever since I was around 5 years old. I was pretty good in other sports, too, especially skiing, but I decided to pursue golf.

You went from playing golf and learning about civil engineering in Italy to studying and playing in Indiana — how did you decide to come to Purdue?

At 16, I joined a golf academy in Florida, where I also went to high school for my last two years. I knew my future was in civil engineering, and I knew Purdue had one of the best civil engineering schools in the world, so I applied to go there.

Are you happy with your decision to come here?

Very much so. I remember being a bit nervous, at first, about deciding to come here because of the colder weather and that it was so far away from home, but it has been a great experience for me. The professors are always willing to work after-hours with you to make sure you understand the lessons and I've made quite a few friends. The CESAC (Civil Engineering Student Advisory Council) Career Fair also helped me find my summer internship. I'm confident I made the right choice to become a Purdue Boilermaker.