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.