Innovation, collaboration help engineering student build confidence in the classroom and on the track
Sometimes a child’s toy can lead to inspiration for where to go to college. That’s what happened to Youssuf Elhawary, who’s originally from Cairo, Egypt.
“My parents were moving to the Midwest last year, and I was looking at strong engineering schools in the area. The Purdue College of Engineering significantly stood out among others,” Elhawary said. “I remember reading a story about the Purdue School of Electrical and Computer Engineering breaking the world record for the fastest time to solve a Rubik’s Cube. That really impressed me and got me reading more about Purdue Engineering. Purdue’s level of innovation amazed me, and I wanted to be part of a university that takes pride in innovation.”
Finding a fit in engineering
Elhawary said he chose mechanical engineering because it has a unique course map and combination of courses that are all-encompassing and align with what he believes mechanical engineering should be.
“I appreciate the scope of electives there are to choose from as well,” Elhawary said. “In terms of mechanical engineering, I’ve always loved numbers and working with them in a creative way to solve real-world problems. I thought mechanical engineering would be the perfect vessel to allow me to keep doing that in the future.”
Getting involved on campus
In his first semester on campus, Elhawary was a part of the Purdue Motorsports Engineering Club and the Purdue Sim Racing club. The clubs gave him the opportunity to meet people with similar interests and helped launch his involvement on campus.
During the spring semester of his freshman year, Elhawary decided to step down from these clubs to focus on building a new club with some of his peers, which is the Middle Eastern Engineering Society (MEES).
“Starting a club takes a lot of time, a lot of collaboration and has been incredibly eye-opening,” Elhawary said. “I have been a big part of the Muslim Student Association on campus, and they have made adjusting to a new environment much easier and have been a second family to me here on campus in Indy.”
Learning to compete and find peace
Outside the classroom, Elhawary said marathon training has been rewarding, especially after he had the opportunity to compete for the first time in the IU Health 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.
“Marathon practice has been extremely exciting for me recently because I finally had the opportunity to race for the first time in the Indy Mini,” Elhawary said. “It was an incredible experience, and the crowd that came out and watched everyone run was so supportive. It was my first of hopefully many long-distance events and it resolidified my desire to keep doing these events.”
Elhawary also is a member of several running clubs that make training more enjoyable, including 3RUN7 and the 317 Muslim Run Club in Indianapolis. Running along the canal and around the White River is one of his favorite activities. No matter what finals are approaching, he said, running never fails to give him a break, calm him down and allow him to enjoy one of the best views in Indianapolis.
Elhawary plans to compete in the Ironman 70.3 Muncie in summer 2027. He said having access to the IU Natatorium and NIFS gym has been a game changer. The Indy Mini also gave him an opportunity to meet more runners attending Purdue, creating a community of people with whom he can train and enjoy the journey.
He encourages future students to get involved, try new things, explore new hobbies and never be afraid to step outside their comfort zones.