Junior Year: Development
Junior year was more low-key than any of the previous years. Unintentionally, I focused on development in the activities and commitments I originally entered in my pre-junior year.
Leadership
Instead of being involved in 6-10 clubs, organizations, and committees, I focused on a few main interests of mine, particularly Engineering Diplomats. I founded Engineering Diplomats with three other students in 2016, but 2017 was the first year where we included other CEAS students in our organization activities. Engineering Diplomats grew from 4 people to over 40 people. And with that growth came growing pains. I made a lot of mistakes and coordinating a group's movements wasn't the easiest. However, I learned a lot about who I am as a leader, and I simultaneously recognized my leadership strengths and the vast amount of knowledge and aptitude I still have to learn. Overall, it was amazing to see something that I created grow from nothing, and I can only imagine how much more it will do this upcoming year. |
Education
I finished my Electrical Engineering Senior Project! I did it a year early, but I learned so much through the process. It was fun, it was a learning experience, and it was unforgettable. Additionally, I took advantage of two educational opportunities in Fall 2017: The Keybank Leadership Symposium and The World Affairs Councils of America (WACA) National Conference. After being immersed in the CEAS world, it was an entirely new experience to explore my Communications/PR and MBA areas. The symposium was a 3-day conference/pitch competition mainly aimed towards business, international relations/studies, and other Business and Arts & Sciences majors. I had never really done a pitch competition, but the opportunity seemed really interesting so I went. I was the only engineering major there. And boy, did I feel out of my element. But I went, had fun, learned something, and my team even placed second in the pitch competition, winning us a prize of $1500! I was so proud of what my team accomplished. The WACA National Conference opened me up to world issues and international relations. As someone who loves to travel, it was interesting to learn about the political issues and debates from a Non-US perspective. Both educational experiences developed my knowledge base and skill set. |
Application Within the 2017-2018 school year, I also worked in two different internships/co-ops related to my double major. In Spring 2018, I worked at my family's consulting firm as a Communications/PR intern. As an intern, I built their company website, created social media content, and helped plan a book signing. Originally, I didn't feel completely capable to hold this position. However, I realized that Engineering Diplomats provided me with a base on which to expand and develop. While I was founding the organization, I had to create social media content, draft flyers, send emails, and communicate with various organizations and UC departments to host events. As a result, I had a skill set that I could use for my internship, which I did very effectively. In addition to working as a Communications intern, I returned to Standex-Meder for a second Electrical Engineering co-op rotation. I moved to work in the Quality Lab, and I am learning so much about that process and department. Both of my internships/co-ops have helped me to develop by applying what I know and building upon it. |
Sisterhood
After becoming part of the Lambda Society in my pre-junior year, I began to understand what developing sisterhood looked like. My Lambda sisters are amazing, and they continually push me to be better than I was yesterday. |
Through my experiences this past year, I have developed more than I ever thought I could. As I develop and enter my senior year, I am realizing how much I actually know (and that it’s quite a lot!) and the extreme amount of knowledge that I don’t know. While this may be discouraging to some, all I am is excited. I’m excited to move forward into my final undergraduate chapter, and I’m excited to push myself and develop even further. In my senior year, I will be President of The Lambda Society, which is a huge honor and a huge responsibility. Through my schooling and activities in my senior year, I hope to encourage others, mature even more, and to finish on a strong note. Let’s get started senior year!