“What made my out-of-classroom experiences special were the connections that I made with other students and industry professionals. The Cyclone Engineering program makes it really easy to form connections both with people across the different engineering disciplines and in industry.”
Clubs and activities: Innovation Fellows program, Pay It Forward, which is a community service club on campus, the Information Assurance Student Group and undergraduate research.
Valuable hands-on learning experience: I was fortunate enough to have an internship each summer in several different industries. These internships not only allowed me to determine which direction I wanted my career to go but also helped me realize the importance of non-technical skills for an engineer and helped me to develop these “soft skills,” which have helped me become a more competent engineer.
The Innovation Fellows program also helped me develop both technically and non-technically, as we were able to work on cutting-edge projects with an industry mentor, all while networking and forming connections with people in industries that would be considered non-traditional for a computer engineering student.
Most influential mentor: Yong Guan, professor of electrical and computer engineering, who I have conducted research with since I was a first-year student. Dr. Guan helped to develop my critical thinking and engineering skills far beyond what I would have learned if I had only been taking classes, and he helped me get opportunities that would have been nearly impossible to secure if I hadn’t had his guidance and assistance.
Best memory: When Iowa State beat Iowa in the 2021 CyHawk Series Basketball game. It was one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever experienced at a sporting event and some of the most fun I had while a student here.
Plans after graduation: I will be working as a software engineer at Boeing on the F-22 Raptor program.
Making my mark on the world: Throughout my different experiences over the years, I have learned that the things that are the most fulfilling to me are helping others and improving the world around me. I hope that in my career as an engineer I am able to work with other like-minded people, and I can help them to create an overall positive impact on the world and the people around me.
Engineering like a Cyclone Engineer: The awesome thing about being an Iowa State engineer is the vast array of opportunities available to you because Iowa State is such a large school. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and willing to learn and put in the work, you can do almost anything during your time here.
The opportunities that I’ve found outside of my normal classwork ended up being some of the most enriching experiences that I’ve had during my college career. What made these experiences special were the connections that I made with other students and industry professionals. The Iowa State engineering program makes it really easy to form connections both with people across the different engineering disciplines and in industry.