Why you chose Pitt:
Throughout the college admission process, I wasn’t sure of what I wanted in a school. When I visited Pitt, I saw people working together throughout the campus. Everyone wanted to help each other succeed. I really liked the collaborative environment fostered by the university. I also valued the opportunities that the University of Pittsburgh provided to its students. Within the Swanson School of Engineering, there are so many combinations of majors, minors, and certificates so that students can truly customize their experience at Pitt to get the experience they need for their careers. I knew I wanted a minor in something business related, but the faculty guided me towards industrial engineering because it aligned more with the industry work that I want to pursue. From co-op to the internship guarantee prep program to the abundance of research opportunities, it became evident that Pitt aimed to set up its students for success. A combination of the collaborative environment and the career development opportunities ended up making my decision easier and I knew that Pitt was the place I wanted to call home for the next four years.
Advice to a First Year Engineering Student:
It is okay to not know what you want to do but take advantages of the opportunities and connections you can build to find out. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to pursue mechanical engineering or bioengineering, but I asked upperclassmen and working professionals in both fields for clarity so that I could make a more informed decision. One of my friends on the dance team I was on was a senior bioengineer who had also been on co-op for a year and she really helped me figure out the path that I should take to go into industry. I also recommend getting involved in a student organization. I personally found it very stress-relieving to have something non-engineering related to do so that I could take my mind off my classes for a while. In turn, this made my studying more productive. It’s easy to forget that you must take care of yourself but it’s really important to take some time out of your week to do some of the things you’re really passionate about.
Extracurricular involvement and Future Goals:
I am a dancer on Mastana, a competitive Bollywood-Fusion dance team, and I’m on board for Taaza, a Bollywood-Fusion and Bhangra dance competition, as a tech chair. I am also a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society and Phi Eta Sigma. I hope to work in the industry on the development of prosthetics and medical devices.