At UWM I participated in an extra-curricular project to build a human-powered submarine. We had to plan the complete design and manufacturing of the sub, which we would race in a national competition. As the Overall Team Captain I felt a lot of pressure - we had to make the right decisions to build a design that would work. We also had limited time and money. In a team of 20 people (6 most heavily involved), communication was key. I gained an incredible amount of real world experience, since I was exposed to all aspects of the project. I would come into the machine shop early in the morning or late at night to work on the sub. To see it work in the end was pretty rewarding. And as far as learning experience goes, it was the best in my life. It was UWM’s first year to build a sub and compete in the race. We placed 4th out of 12…not so bad, huh?

Why I decided to pursue mechanical engineering: I was really interested in physics in high school. After exploring my options at UWM I took an internship in which I designed parts for large machinery. That’s when I knew that mechanical engineering was the way to go.

What I gained the most from my time at UWM: # 1 - Confidence in my abilities. Also, leadership traits, mechanical engineering expertise, networking, and personal skills. 

What I’m doing now: I’m a mechanical engineer at Rockwell Automation. I visit customers to fix equipment problems and make recommendations to improve systems. Last week I visited a newspaper printing company where I worked on a 3-story tall printing press machine. There’s pressure, but there’s also great satisfaction in helping customers.

Advice I’d give someone considering a college degree in engineering:  It is what you make of it. Try to find interest in what you’re learning and always consider how the topic might be applied to real-world situations. Also, working late nights and weekends occasionally isn’t the end of the world and the payoff will be obvious when you look back at the knowledge you’ve obtained.