Samuel Schroeder: Outstanding senior in software engineering

Clubs and activities

Among others, I was part of the leadership team for SHOP, the student-run food pantry on campus, worked with ISEAGE to design and run cyber defense competitions for high school to college students in Iowa and around the world, and was a member of the Gaffer’s Guild glassblowing club. 

Valuable hands-on learning in class

My most valuable hands-on classroom experience was my senior design project, where my team worked to create a modern replica of the Atanasoff-Berry computer, the first electronic digital computer. Having the opportunity to work with a team of engineers across disciplines to solve a technically challenging, historically significant problem was an exciting way to apply the engineering and teamwork skills I learned at Iowa State. 

Valuable out-of-the-classroom experience

Working at the ISEAGE lab was my most valuable hands-on experience outside of the classroom because of the breadth of learning opportunities it has given me. Creating the cyber defense competitions and maintaining the infrastructure to run them gave me the unique chance to learn about everything from server infrastructure to cybersecurity exercise design, while also applying what I learned in the classroom to develop the systems and applications that competitors protected during the event. 

Most influential mentor

Brian Deutmeyer, my mentor during my most recent internship at Principal Financial, has been one of my most influential mentors during my time at Iowa State. He has consistently supported my growth as an engineer by mentoring me through challenging problems, exposing me to new technologies and processes, and inspiring me to be a better engineer. 

Best memory/greatest accomplishment

One of my greatest accomplishments was winning the 2025 international cyber defense competition. Before joining the staff that runs the competitions, I competed in them each semester. Going into my first competition, I had absolutely zero experience or exposure to cybersecurity, so winning the top competition only two and a half years later was a rewarding experience that demonstrated the growth I had at Iowa State. 

Plans after graduation

After completing my concurrent master’s program in cyber security, I will be joining the network security infrastructure team at Principal Financial. 

A memorable moment of kindness

One memorable moment of kindness that had a lasting impact was when my academic advisor, Jason Follett, recommended me for the software engineering student advisory council. Since then, I have been able to represent the software engineering student body to the software engineering program and department leadership. 

Persevering through challenging times

There was never a point when I wasn’t sure if engineering was for me, but there were still some challenging semesters balancing all my schoolwork and campus involvement. Two things that I think helped me persevere were the support of my family and knowing what I valued and why I was doing this, which helped me prioritize my time and kept me focused on the goal. 

Your major in your own words

Software engineering is about applying engineering principles across the entire lifecycle of software, including software design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. 

Making my mark on the world

As an engineer, I hope to use my talents to serve others by creating a more secure and user-friendly digital world. 

Engineering like a Cyclone Engineer

The best thing about being a Cyclone Engineer is all of the different opportunities available to you to learn to solve challenging problems, to work with others inside and outside of your field, and to try new things that you would have never expected. 

What I’d tell my younger self about Iowa State

I would tell my younger self to choose to go to Iowa State, and that you may not expect where you will end up, but you will be happy with where you do, and you will be grateful for everything along the way that gets you there. 

Most inspiring location on campus

The Student Innovation Center is one of the places on campus where I feel the most inspired as a Cyclone Engineer. All of the different learning and makerspaces provide the opportunities to try new things and collaborate with others that make Cyclone Engineering special.