Five graduating seniors reflect on the Purdue Engineering experience
The Purdue Engineering undergraduate experience is coming to an end for thousands of students May 14-15. For many, it was a transformative four (or five) years: entering college as a young person with dreams, exiting an engineer equipped to accomplish them.
What a ride it’s been.
For the last “Faces of Purdue Engineering” of the academic year on the undergraduate engineering Instagram, Maeve Hegarty (civil engineering), Veronica Miller (nuclear engineering), Simon Stallings (mechanical engineering), Evan Stonestreet (electrical and computer engineering) and Clifford Underwood (agricultural and biological engineering) weighed in on their experiences.
Here are their full responses:
Maeve Hegarty
Degree: Civil engineering (transportation)
Student organization involvement: Purdue Student Engineering Foundation; College of Engineering ambassadors; Purdue Performance Collaborative; Civil and Construction Engineering Recruitment Committee
What has been the takeaway from your Purdue Engineering experience? The biggest takeaway from my Purdue Engineering experience has been the connections you can make inside and outside of the classroom. Not only have I made lifelong friends during my four years at Purdue, but I have also developed a close network of professors and TAs in civil engineering. Whether it was discussing internships with Professor Case Tompkins, attending Professor Maria Santagata’s geotech office hours or studying abroad in Australia with Professor Darcy Bullock, each instructor made time to leave a mark on my Purdue experience. Through our civil engineering senior design, I have gained a network of 10 teammates and countless classmates who were willing to support my studies. This willingness to help is the epitome of why I even chose to attend Purdue, and I am grateful to have seen it firsthand.
How has your life been impacted by Purdue / Purdue Engineering? My life has been impacted by Purdue Engineering specifically through its endless resources. The Industrial Roundtable career fair secured me a summer internship that then led to a full time opportunity. I got the opportunity to travel to Australia to study Transportation and Supply Chains through Purdue.
The Purdue Student Engineering Foundation has led me to professional and personal development events, as well as providing a large alumni network that is committed to supporting the organization even decades out from graduating.
I am confident that Purdue Engineering has entirely prepared me for the industry. The civil engineering senior design capstone was my final test of this preparedness. By working on a real transportation design project, and a team of 11 students, I was challenged to find the most efficient and effective forms of civil design that I expect to apply to my post-graduate career.
What would you share as the “secret” to your success in the College of Engineering? The secret to my success in the College of Engineering has everything to do with keeping my enthusiasm for learning. An important part of maintaining my academic motivation comes with fulfilling my personal life with experiences and great company. Without this, it could be easy to lose myself in the material and burn out. By surrounding myself with ambitious engineering students daily, I keep myself more accountable and driven.
In a time when I needed more support during my engineering education, I turned to student organizations. I found that performing in semesterly musicals with the Purdue Performance Collaborative (PPC) was the way I could achieve this balance. I was able to prioritize myself, while also feeling more motivated in my classes. This led to more success in my coursework and an increase in my productivity!
Veronica Miller
Degree: B.S. nuclear engineering
Student organization involvement: Purdue Student Engineering Foundation; College of Engineering ambassadors; Society of Women Engineers; Purdue Fencing Club
What has been the takeaway from your Purdue Engineering experience? How important saying "yes" is! Coming into college I was extremely nervous. Afraid I wouldn't be able to make friends, afraid I wasn't going to succeed in my classes, afraid I wasn't going to find a job. But as soon as I started taking more risks and setting aside my nerves, I realized there was a whole lot out there to experience. Whether it was saying yes to a project that may have scared me, running for a leadership role in a club or moving to a state I knew nothing about for an internship, I've grown so much as a person as I've learned to say "yes!"
How has your life been impacted by Purdue / Purdue Engineering? I'm walking away with so much more confidence in myself than I entered Purdue with. Purdue and the College of Engineering have given me confidence not only in myself as an engineer, but as a leader, a friend and a human. My professors, advisors and peers have lifted me up and encouraged me to pursue what makes me passionate and to continue taking risks throughout the course of my life, especially ones I never would have taken four years ago.
What would you share as the “secret” to your success in the College of Engineering? College is a holistic experience. Work and study hard, but know that academics are not the only part of Purdue. I've found that the more I invest in my experience here at Purdue, whether that means putting time into extracurriculars, pursuing professional opportunities or just grabbing coffee with friends, I have seen that energy returned in my academics and in my personal life. Developing healthy habits and learning to build your own community are critical parts of going to college and preparing for life at and beyond Purdue.
Simon Stallings
Degree: B.S. mechanical engineering
Student organization involvement: Purdue Formula SAE; SAE general; Purdue Engineering Presidents' Council
What has been the takeaway from your Purdue Engineering experience? My key takeaway from my Purdue Engineering experience is that good, productive teamwork will always lead to better results.
How has your life been impacted by Purdue / Purdue Engineering? My life has been impacted in the way that I truly learned what I love to do. I always knew that I wanted to be a mechanical engineer, however, I wasn't sure what industry I wanted to do. However, after being a part of FSAE I knew that I love the problem solving / integration that comes with the automotive industry.
What would you share as the “secret” to your success in the College of Engineering? The secret is to get involved, especially in something technical (like FSAE) as it helps you apply your engineering classes to a more hands-on experience.
Evan Stonestreet
Student organization involvement: Founder of Cross Cultural Association; SWANA Student Union
Degree: B.S. computer engineering
What has been the takeaway from your Purdue Engineering experience? My biggest takeaway is to take advantage of opportunity. Purdue offers engineering students countless opportunities, and we shouldn't take that for granted. My most meaningful college experiences came from just showing up or saying yes to things I wasn't initially planning to pursue.
How has your life been impacted by Purdue / Purdue Engineering? I've been impacted most by the people I've met. I've formed countless relationships that will last long after graduation, and I have Purdue to thank for that. Campus is so diverse, and in just four short years I've been blessed to make friends from all backgrounds who constantly reshape my perspective on life.
What would you share as the “secret” to your success in the College of Engineering? Don't go through the learning process alone. You are surrounded by so many smart and motivated students who have similar goals as you, so take advantage of that. I learned the most and also performed the best when studying alongside my peers.
Clifford Underwood
Degree: Agricultural engineering (machine systems)
Student organization involvement: National Society of Black Engineers; ABE student ambassador; Engineering Student Success student ambassador
What has been the takeaway from your Purdue Engineering experience? My biggest takeaway from Purdue Engineering has been learning how to adapt and problem-solve under pressure. The coursework challenges you to think critically, but beyond that, being surrounded by driven peers pushes you to continuously improve. It’s not just about mastering technical skills — it’s about developing resilience, discipline and the ability to learn quickly in any environment.
How has your life been impacted by Purdue / Purdue Engineering? Purdue Engineering has expanded my perspective on what’s possible for my career and life. It’s connected me with opportunities, companies and networks that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. It’s also helped me build confidence in navigating professional spaces, whether that’s recruiting, networking or stepping into leadership roles. Overall, it’s been a foundation for both personal and professional growth.
What would you share as the “secret” to your success in the College of Engineering? The “secret” is being intentional and proactive. Take advantage of every resource, such as career fairs, student organizations, office hours and networking opportunities. Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you; go after them early!