What makes you a Difference Maker?
I believe I’m a Difference Maker because of my passion for helping others and working with them to recognize their potential, especially in the area of engineering. My commitment to volunteering with STEM K-12 outreach programs has allowed me to reach out into the community by introducing elementary through high school students to the fundamentals of engineering. I’ve volunteered with the College of Engineering and Computer Science for the last two summers at Maker Faire-Detroit, where I’ve facilitated hands-on engineering activities. I’ve also volunteered with the Society of Women Engineers through a girl’s FIRST Robotics competition, and worked with other executive board members to bring a girl’s engineering exploration day to campus last summer. I credit my passion for community service to my sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma, where one of our philanthropies is encouraging school and college readiness. Community service is incredibly important to me and I plan to continue to serve my community through engineering outreach opportunities whenever I’m able to.
Additionally, I always work to welcome students to the UM-Dearborn community, encouraging them to discover their passions and get involved on campus. I’m incredibly proud to be a part of the UM-Dearborn community.
Highlight your campus achievements:
I strive to be successful in my academics and always make sure to balance my time between studying and campus involvement. I received the William J. Branstrom Freshman Prize after my first semester, an award given to freshmen who rank in the upper five percent of the class, earn 14+ credits and have at least a 3.5 GPA. I’ve earned University Honors for three semesters and have also been recognized on the College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean’s List every semester. I’m also a member of various honor societies including Alpha Pi Mu, Tau Beta Pi, Golden Key International Honour Society, Order of Omega Greek Honor Society and The National Society of Leadership and Success.
Highlight your leadership experiences both on and off campus:
The start to my campus leadership was serving as the historian for the Society of Women Engineers after my first semester on campus, but it wasn’t until I became an orientation leader, the summer after my freshman year, that allowed me to develop my skills as a leader. The leadership experience I gained as an orientation leader also allowed me to continue my campus leadership as a Wolverines Orientation Wilderness camp counselor and a College of Engineering and Computer Science peer mentor. As a Wolverines Orientation Wilderness camp counselor, I mentored a group of incoming freshman students on preparing for college during a four-day trip. Additionally, I planned and attended monthly check-in meetings with students who attended the trip and provided support and guidance throughout the first semester for the students. Through my work with the College of Engineering and Computer Science as a peer mentor, I mentored incoming freshmen students on mathematics development and engineering awareness. I created mathematics review activities to ensure the students had a comprehensive foundation in mathematics before starting college. I also designed hands-on engineering activities in order for the students to understand and become passionate about their desired engineering majors. The experience as serving as a peer mentor allowed me to discover my passion for educating others about engineering. Currently, I’m able to use my passion for educating others as an Engineering 100 lab assistant. As an Engineering 100 lab assistant, I implement, facilitate and provide feedback on weekly lab activities for introductory engineering students. One of my favorite things about mentoring students is working with them to help discover their interests and connect them with the UM-Dearborn community.
My leadership experiences have provided me with numerous practical learning opportunities. I’ve continued to serve as an executive board member for the Society of Women Engineers and am currently the professional development coordinator. Through my work as the professional development coordinator, I’ve worked with alumni to plan a “Women in Engineering” panel and networking event as well as plan an engineering outreach event at a girl’s FIRST Robotics competition. I’ve also gained practical financial skills through my sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma, by creating budgets and tracking spending. I’ve also had the opportunity to plan community service events as the community service director for Golden Key International Honour Society. All of these experiences have provided me with a well-rounded foundation that will allow me to be successful in my future.
What is your dream career and/or long term life goal?
My dream career is to be an industrial engineer. Once I learned about industrial and systems engineering my first semester at UM-Dearborn, I loved the idea of working with system optimization and knew it was the right major for me. Over the summer of 2016, I had the opportunity to co-op at DTE Energy, where I worked with continuous improvement projects and researched opportunities for system efficiency in cost reduction and time optimization. This experience verified my passion for industrial and systems engineering. I’m excited to continue as a co-op at DTE Energy this summer and continue to apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to the real world.
In the future, I plan to continue my education to obtain a master’s in industrial and systems engineering, or a master’s in business administration—or even both. Along with my dream career as an industrial engineer, I want to continue to make a difference in the community through my involvement with the Society of Women Engineers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) K-12 outreach; I believe it’s essential to inspire the future generation to pursue their dreams and promote awareness in STEM related fields. The special thing about industrial engineering is its ability to make a positive difference in society. It will be a true dream to have a career in a field I love, along with continuing to make a difference in my community.
What was your most defining moment at UM-Dearborn?
My most defining moment at UM-Dearborn was becoming an orientation leader my freshman year. I really believe that the skills I learned through being an orientation leader allowed me to grow as a leader and step out of my comfort zone. The leadership training I received has provided me with the skills necessary to be a leader in class projects and student organizations. Having the opportunity to be an orientation leader allowed me to really connect to the UM-Dearborn community; I realized my passion for campus involvement and student outreach. My involvement and outreach to students on campus truly evolved through my experiences as an orientation leader.