When she was a kid, Samantha Guido’s big sister told her that engineering was like building with LEGO: a way to make new things from scratch. Guido grew up and fulfilled her passion for making by majoring in mechanical engineering – with a plan to work in manufacturing.
In search of big-school opportunities to build an engineering career, Guido transferred to Iowa State – and landed an internship in her first month on campus.
“My first fall as an Iowa State student, even with a transfer background, I went to the Engineering Career Fair and got an internship for the next summer at AGCO Corporation in Minnesota,” Guido said. “The company really trusted the strong reputation of Iowa State and that I had the knowledge I needed.”
Guido drew on her experiences in class and labs during her AGCO internship, working on a new product project.
“I worked in a manufacturing plant for agricultural equipment manufacturing, so I did larger application equipment manufacturing. AGCO gave me a lot of responsibility as an intern, and I made the most of the opportunity to learn a lot more about the mechanical design process from start to finish,” Guido said.
Seeing the big picture of design at AGCO motivated Guido to seek out courses and projects at Iowa State that will build a broader understanding of engineering and manufacturing.
“I’m taking a tech elective in supply chains, doing work in safety management – options I wouldn’t have had at a smaller engineering school. The chance to become a well-rounded engineer is why I transferred to Iowa State – and now I’m ready to get out there and make things in my career,” Guido said.