Why did you choose Purdue?
It's because of how great our CEM program is! And it's close to my mom so I can go visit her whenever I want. And when I visited in high school, I just fell in love with how pretty it was in the fall. It was just the total package and I was determined to pay in state tuition which is an added bonus.
Why did you choose engineering as a major?
I wanted to be able to problem solve in my career and have a different problem to solve every day when I walked into work. Coming from a carpentry background I wanted to be able to still use my hands and be on the job site and I found exactly that in CEM. I was taught by some mentors in high school that career experience is invaluable and that job at McDonald's isn't really investing in your future. So, seeing the construction engineering program with 100% job placement rate and 3 internship experiences required before graduation I knew it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.
What is your favorite thing about being a Purdue Engineer?
I really admire how persistent all the engineers are. Seeing all my friends and peers work so hard to pass these classes together fills me with motivation to try harder in my own studies. And the culture here is so positive, filled with collaboration and problem solving. And with so many opportunities to follow your passions at our school it's so cool hearing about my friends working at internships and doing interesting research in what makes them passionate about engineering.
What is your secret to success in the College of Engineering?
To succeed at this school, you need to be adaptable. Purdue courses are going to vary widely from semester to semester. And there is not one type of person that succeeds in every challenge this school will throw at you. But the people who do well learn to self-reflect and evaluate what works for them and are willing to keep trying until they find a plan that works. Being okay with getting it wrong but still trying anyways makes for an exemplary Purdue engineer.
What is your favorite Purdue memory?
It would definitely have to be my internships over the summers. My favorite was my most recent one in San Jose, CA. Getting to be on the other side of the country by myself was a really refreshing experience. I got to work with people that I admired greatly and I learned so much about my favorite industry, commercial residential construction. I was working in Silicon Valley on a 23-story high rise luxury apartment building. It was an experience I will never forget and I was only able to get the interview with the help of the CEM faculty.