The Engineering Undeclared program was the deciding factor. I wasn’t sure what major I wanted to pursue at first as many interested me so I applied to the program. This program taught me what working in the field may look like for different engineering majors. I also got the chance to take any engineering class to further explore the variety of majors. Furthermore, Illinois was a place where I felt I could come out of my high school shell, to become a better person, be more open, and make a difference. So far, my decision has been a great one.

I have so many great ones but overall, it is being part of the UIUC community. Meeting my close friends, participating in events, and learning new thing. There is so much diversity on campus and it makes every day amazing. I have gotten the opportunity to go to the Engineering Ambassadors National Conference and the Society of Women Engineers National Conference. It is hard to put in words the amount of impact they had on me. I got to meet so many people and expand my world.

There is so much support for us, from fellow students to Engineering Career Services. I never have to look far to get help with understanding a concept or editing my resume. But by far the best part about being an engineering student is learning every day. Each and every day I am excited to learn something new. Every day, I get more tools and skills to create a better future and I could not be happier about that. As graduation comes up I get more and more excited about actively applying my skills to make our society better and being a student here has made me able to do so.

Before college, I didn’t get much exposure to engineering, the traditional science classes were the closest thing I got to it. I wanted to be part of something that showed kids what it means to be an engineer and that it is nothing to shy away from. EA gives me the opportunity to teach kids from elementary to high school and prove to them that factors like gender and race don’t play a factor in someone’s capability to become an engineer. EA helps me to communicate ideas better to a variety of different audiences and teach others the same, changing the conversation about engineering.

Go for it.
There will be such amazing opportunities to meet great, hardworking people. If rigor is a deterrent, there is always help around the corner. Time management is vital if you want to minimize stress. This will not only improve the quality of your learning but give the flexibility to get help and clarify anything that may be confusing.

I am extremely excited to work for Sargent and Lundy in their Nuclear Power group. Sustainability is a huge thing for me and I believe that nuclear is one of the best transitions we can make from fossil fuels on the road to a completely green and diverse energy grid. Nuclear often gets a bad reputation from the disasters that have happened in the past; however, technology has made leaps and bounds for making things safer. I plan on getting a Masters while I work with Sargent and Lundy once I find a program perfect for my goals.