What made you decide to choose your specific major?
I had no idea what I wanted to do until my junior year of high school, which is what a lot of students like myself experience. It’s hard to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life, even if you’re able to change it in the future. I thought a lot about what I wanted to do, about what interested me. Of course, I also wanted to end up in an industry that would keep me happy while supporting me financially for life. I ended up choosing Aeronautical Engineering Technology. My father was part of the reason that I chose this path. He is a software engineer at Northrop Grumman, and when I was younger, he was working on some components in the Global Hawk. He took my mom and I to Italy where we were able to go into a military base, and I absolutely loved the airfield. My dad also took me to some air shows and museums with old military aircraft. I realized as a junior that I really wanted to work for a national defense company and design military aircraft.
What are a couple of your favorite things about your program of study?
I love the hands-on learning that's offered at the Polytechnic Institute. The airport offers a perfect learning environment for students pursuing a career in the Aviation Industry, with many physical resources and knowledgeable professors.
What has been one of your favorite class projects?
I haven’t done many projects in my classes yet since I’m just in my second semester, but in one of my labs right now we are going to be building a wing out of sheet metal! I also really enjoyed my Nondestructive Testing for Aircraft lab, and I am now a teacher's assistant for that class!
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
I am currently a teacher's assistant, a member of Alpha Eta Rho, which is a co-ed professional fraternity, a member of Women in Aviation, and obviously, a Polytechnic Ambassador!
What do you know about your program of study now that you wish someone had told you when you were choosing a major?
I wish that someone would have elaborated about how many different career paths I could take with my major. Most people talk about the mechanic path, but there are so many more paths I can take with my major!
What would be one piece of advice for prospective students or new Purdue students?
Please don’t feel afraid to get involved on campus! Especially during the winter! Being a part of different groups gives you a chance to meet amazing people outside of your major and outside of your classes! Being involved on campus also gives you fun things to do during the weekdays and weekends when you have free time! I was scared to be involved during my first semester and I felt really bored a lot of the time. I’m only a freshman in my second semester here, but I feel like I have already accomplished so much in such a short time and I feel so fulfilled when I’m busy, you can get involved too!