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Major

Civil Engineering, minor in Chinese

Post-graduation plans

Serve as a naval officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Corps; pursue a master’s degree and PE license in the next few years.

What is your favorite memory from your time at ����������?

Participating in student clubs and playing intramural sports gave me a huge sense of community, and through these activities, I made some lifelong friends. It feels great to connect with people outside your major or on different career paths. It’s also fun to try a sport you’ve never played with some of your best friends, especially after a long day of classes.

What accomplishment are you most proud of, either academically or personally?��

I am most proud of getting and maintaining my EMT certification. Not only does it allow me to help others, but it also means I can connect with people outside the engineering world.

Tell us about a moment (or moments) when you felt like you hit your stride or felt like you were “officially” an engineer.

Throughout college, I held several engineering roles, but the one that made me truly feel like an engineer was my experience with��, ����������’s chapter of Engineers in Action (EIA). I had the amazing opportunity to help design and build a bridge in Eswatini, Africa. Being on-site, reviewing drawing sets, helping determine the next phase of construction�� and serving as the safety manager made me feel in charge of something bigger than myself. The whole experience made me feel like I was made for engineering, and it helped me decide which part of civil engineering interested me most—project management.

Following my EIA summer experience, I landed a field engineering internship with Kraemer North America, which solidified my engineer title. I was given the responsibility to go in the field, conduct site measurements and do quality control.

What is your biggest piece of advice for incoming engineering students?

Do what you love, and good things will come. There’s nothing more meaningful than having fun doing what you love. Also, college is the best time to learn from mistakes. It’s okay to not be perfect. At the end of your college career, your GPA doesn’t matter nearly as much as the experiences you had, the memories you made and who you shared them with.

What experiences or qualities do you think led to you receiving the Global Engagement Award?��

I believe receiving this award reflects my ongoing involvement with Bridge Buffs, which gave me the opportunity to travel to Africa and help build a bridge alongside local communities. It also recognizes my engagement with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, as well as my eagerness to complete the coursework for a minor in Chinese.��

My future as a Naval Officer—working with and serving people from around the world, also contributed to my selection for this award.��