Michael Heidt: Outstanding senior in civil engineering

Clubs and activities

Being a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a platoon leader for CE 2740 were the most impactful activities I’ve been involved in during my time at Iowa State. Joining ASCE as a freshman gave me the opportunity to better connect with other civil engineers, and it has since provided insight into how different companies operate. Working as a platoon leader for statics has been a great opportunity to mentor younger engineers and strengthen my speaking skills.

Valuable hands-on learning in class

Our capstone project was a great opportunity to better understand how the content we’ve learned translates into the real world. As someone focusing on structural engineering, gaining insight into the geotechnical design process was a valuable experience, as we work closely alongside geotechnical engineers.

Valuable out-of-the-classroom experience

My internships have been incredibly valuable for me in terms of my personal growth throughout college. All three of my internships – with the City of West Des Moines, HR Green, and Shive-Hattery – provided me with valuable insight into what I want to do with my career, as well as a deeper understanding of the types of work done in the professional world. My most recent internship, with the structural K-12 team at Shive-Hattery, provided me with a lot of deeper understanding of the structural process behind building design.

Most influential mentor

My most influential mentor at Iowa State has been Hartanto Wibowo. He was my professor for CE 2740 (Statics), and he is committed to ensuring that students actually understand the concepts, meaning I had to put in more effort to earn a good grade.

After taking the class, I started working as a platoon leader for statics, which has been a great opportunity to work with other engineering students throughout a challenging course. I also took CE 3340 (Reinforced Concrete Design) and will be taking CE 5350 (Prestressed Concrete Structures) during my graduate studies next semester, both of which instructed by Wibowo.

Best memory/greatest accomplishment

My best memory at Iowa State would be watching football and basketball with my friends.

Plans after graduation

After graduation, I will stay at Iowa State to pursue my master’s degree in structural engineering. After I graduate with my master’s, I hope to work full-time as a structural engineer at Shive-Hattery.

A memorable moment of kindness

My academic advisors have been incredibly helpful throughout my time at Iowa State. Being able to check in with them to ensure I have nothing to worry about regarding my graduation status has allowed me to be much more relaxed.

Persevering through challenging times

In high school, I was torn between pursuing a career in civil engineering and teaching. I’ve always been passionate about mentoring younger people, but what led me to pursue a career in civil engineering was the consideration that I could continue to mentor those younger than me in my future company, while still working on complex design problems.

Support from Engineering Career Services

Engineering Career Services helped me to land my first internship after freshman year by helping me prep my resume. The engineering career fairs were always a great experience and helped me to land my internships.

Making my mark on the world

My goal is to help growing communities have buildings they can trust. I want to do meaningful design work where I can see how my work has helped the people in that community.

Engineering like a Cyclone Engineer

What’s unique about being an Iowa State engineer is all the work experience you can get. Iowa State does a great job of prioritizing its students’ landing internships and jobs, from freshman year to post-graduation.

What I’d tell my younger self about Iowa State

I would say that going to Iowa State provides you with so many different pathways you can take, and that the people care about helping you find what path is right for you and your career. Additionally, attending Iowa State means I get to watch the Cyclones go 3-1 in the Cy-Hawk game during my time at Iowa State.

Most inspiring location on campus

The courtyard at Lagomarcino Hall is the greatest reading spot on campus. For me, reading has been a great way to take a step back from the work I need to get done, so when I get a break between classes that I’d otherwise sit on my phone during, I really like taking the break and reading at Lago.