An undergraduate engineering student studies abroad, mentors others and much more.
Leslie Harder, a senior in chemical engineering with a minor in food science, grew up in the small town of Swisher, Iowa. Throughout her life, Harder’s parents have encouraged by her parents to try new things. She’s participated in dance, soccer, and everything in between and graduated near the top of her class with two recognitions: National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society.
Before Harder graduated high school, she knew she wanted to be a Cyclone. Her parents are avid Cyclone fans as well as alumni, and the campus and friendly encounters during her tour sealed the deal.
She’s continued to try new things at Iowa State, joining a learning community and later becoming a peer mentor for the group. “Connecting with the incoming freshman helps me remember my passion chemical engineering, and why I joined the program in the first place,” says Harder.
In 2014, Harder attended the Study Abroad Fair and knew what her next adventure would be. She headed to the University of Birmingham, England to travel and explore while taking several elective classes.
The structure of her classes allowed her plenty of time to see what each city had to offer. She also attended the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Ireland, and traveled to many countries across Europe, including Spain, Germany, Wales, France, and the Czech Republic. She says being able to get on a plane or train and experience a different culture within a few hours was fascinating.
Harder has also focused on growing professional through two internships. Her first was with Specialist Blending, a dry mixing plant, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she created troubleshooting devices for one of the plant’s most challenging production lines. Currently, Harder is working with Stratas Foods, an oil packaging plant, in Decatur, Illinois. She works with engineers on projects in different states as well as maps out pipes that go around the plant.
When she’s not working and studying, Harder serves as a student role model for WiSE and a DIS team leader. She plans to graduate next spring and work for a company in the food industry.