“I don’t think there was a single ABE class that I did not like. My classes also prepared me for the real world. There are so many elective classes that I could have taken to start really deciding what I wanted to do after school, and to gain the knowledge I need for after graduation.”
Hometown: Holy Cross, Iowa
What clubs and activities were you involved in?
I was involved with ASABE and Ski and SnowBoard club. Then my junior year I helped get the fluid power club started. In addition, I am also a member of Tau Beta Pi here at Iowa State.
Who was your most influential mentor while at Iowa State and why?
My most influential mentor at Iowa State has been Brian Steward, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering. He has been the fluid power club advisor since the start of the club. And he has always been there to help guide us as a club, and also to just talk about future career goals.
Which of your hands-on learning opportunities was most valuable?
My co-op with Corteva Agriscience was definitely the most valuable to me. I was able to design a large system from the ground up. They have a massive fabrication shop, so I was also able to build the whole system myself. I also had the opportunity to even wire up the control system for it. It was a great hands-on experience and I was able to touch so many different aspects of engineering during my time there.
What would you consider your greatest accomplishments at ISU?
My greatest accomplishment at Iowa State was probably competing in the fluid power vehicle challenge sponsored by the NFPA. Our Iowa State team was able to secure two awards, best use of electronics, and also best final presentation. This was the first year an Iowa State team was able to complete all three races during the competition.
What’s the mark you’re looking to leave on the world as an engineer?
I would really like to help change the way the ag industry produces seed. That is why I decided to accept a job at Power Pollen. They have the opportunity to completely change the way we currently produce seed crops. This way we can help increase crop yields and therefore increase the food production all over the world. Hopefully in the future it will not be a prototype technology. One day it may be the industry standard, and I think that is just amazing.
What’s unique and awesome about the Cyclone Engineering student experience?
The Iowa State Agriculture Engineering department is phenomenal. From my experience, I can definitely see why the ag engineering department was ranked so high nationally. The faculty in this department are absolutely amazing. I don’t think there was a single ABE class that I did not like. My classes also prepared me for the real world. There are so many elective classes that I could have taken to start really deciding what I wanted to do after school, and to gain the knowledge I need for after graduation.