My friend and I started an organization for recruiting students to the Materials Science and Engineering department. I learned a lot about how to lead a student organization and common challenges faced in leadership. Here are four key suggestions for anyone looking to start a student organization.
My first career fair was a trainwreck. When I left, my feet were bleeding and my confidence was low. Flash forward to my senior year and I walked into the career fair still stressed, but ready to face the challenging day. Here are some tips I learned throughout my time of going to career fairs and interviewing.
In this second part of our “Thoughts from a Senior in Transition” post, Abbey speaks directly to the upperclassmen on what to expect for the next phase of post-college life.
I am currently a junior studying petroleum engineering and, looking back at my high school years, this is not at all what I thought I would be doing. I looked at several business schools and I also considered a career in law until I learned about engineering and the numerous disciplines it offers. I remember getting excited about endless career possibilities, but at the same time confused about which discipline to choose.
Ultimately, the education and technical background that my classes have given me is very important and a crucial part of being an engineer. But I believe my extracurricular involvement has defined my college life and has truly molded me.
Does my job at summer camp have anything to do with engineering, you may ask? Well, it may not directly have anything to do with it, but this job taught me how to bring life into perspective and how engineering fits into my life in a broader sense. I learned three important lessons
No, hackathons do not involve hacking into a computer or a network. They are, however, an insanely intense invention competition where you find a solution to a problem. They last anywhere from 24 to 48 hours and can be completed solo or in teams. Some hackathons, such as Aggies Invent, place more emphasis on the business aspect of creating a product while others encourage creating the most technically complete product you can. Hackathons are opportunities to pour every ounce of engineering and practical skills you have into kickstarting an idea into real life.
In April 2018, I was given the opportunity to leave my comfort zone and pursue my professional dreams. Everything sounded great, but I would have to leave Texas and move to South Carolina in less than 30 days. Even though I knew no one out there, I decided to pursue this endeavor and take this leap of faith.
When I first applied for the Zachry Leadership Program, I had no idea what to expect. The program description talked about bridging the gap between engineering and business. Little did I know that not only would I be learning about business fundamentals, but also how to live my best life.
Since the semester began, every senior has been counting down to graduation. But what will that big day be like?
Being a senior in transition is harder than it sounds. Blogger Abbey Phillips gives some impactful advice on what to do for those about to enter the real world.
Anna Church shares her advice on getting involved in organizations at Texas A&M and how to avoid over involvement.
Many times during my college career I have heard the phrase “Engineers aren’t creative.” It is assumed that we engineers are purely left-brained thinkers because our work requires an analytical, logical approach. However, based on my experience as an Aggie engineering student, I beg to differ.
I think that many students have similar experiences with cycles of stress and procrastination. Thankfully, over the summer before my junior year, I decided to work hard on my time-management skills and deal with the stresses of school in a healthy way.
New to the ZACH building? Get the highlights from blogger Abbey Phillips on the must-see features for your next visit.
Apprehension, excitement, uncertainty: I felt it all when I thought about becoming an Aggie. This was one of the most terrifying yet most rewarding decisions of my life.
Reed Hampton shares his experiences as a Texas A&M Engineering student and how they have had an impact on his life.
We sat down with biomedical engineering student, Ria Rao to talk about her study abroad experiences. Check out what she had to say!
I can remember the first day I became a student senator like it was yesterday. I was blissfully taking my evening nap in my room when suddenly, a text wakes me up to exciting news – I was elected as one of the nine student senators for the College of Engineering for the 70th session of Student Senate.
I recently had the opportunity to take part in one of Texas A&M’s most rewarding experiences — Aggies Invent. I’d heard from upperclassmen, professors and even friends from other majors, that Aggies Invent was one of the best opportunities for engineers at the university. I read about it and definitely knew it was something I wanted to be part of. So when I learned that I was selected to participate, I was extremely excited and started looking into the topic as much as I could to try to compete as a freshman in a competition offered to all – including graduate students and Ph.D. candidates.
We sat down with electrical and computer engineering student, Adam Curtis to talk about his study abroad experiences. Check out what he had to say!
Staying active is a big component in being healthy, both mentally and physically. Even if it’s only once a week, getting your body moving will improve your focus and overall happiness.
The experiences that have impacted me the most during my time at Texas A&M are the extracurricular opportunities. The best part is, anyone can be involved at any capacity. Through my involvement with extracurricular activities, I have made long lasting friendship, worked toward success, dealt with failure, collaborated on teams, and learned how to follow and how to lead.
Ever since I have started college, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has been my safe haven. This organization has given me the opportunity to meet great people, strengthen my leadership skills, and build my future. On the days I wanted to throw in the towel and give up on engineering, NSBE reminded me that where I was, was where I was supposed to be.
Books can expand your mind, spark your imagination, empower your conversations and ease your stress.
Last September, I received a mass email from my academic advisor advertising a student research position with a lab on campus that I had never heard of called the Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC). This email launched a year-long journey that gave me one of the best experiences I could’ve asked for. Because of this experience, I think all undergrads should make it a priority to be involved with research at some point.
There’s so much to love about summer internships. Aside from gaining work experience, getting paid and increasing your network, summer internships are awesome for building your independence and transitioning into the “real world” after college.
During my freshman year, I was a part of the Global Living Learning Center when I lived in Mosher Hall. Since it emphasized cultural inclusion they encouraged us to study abroad in San Miguel de Allende for the upcoming spring break. Before the trip I was a little hesitant to go since I did not know the people I was going with, nor had I been to Mexico, but I decided to follow my gut. Little did I know that this trip would be a memory I’d cherish for a lifetime.
In July of 2016, my best friend Bronwyn and I decided to try a unique take on the college student life. At 20 years old, I got married, and it was the best decision I ever made.
A study abroad during the week of spring break?? What? Is that even possible? The answer is yes! This past spring break, I had the opportunity to go on a study abroad to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, through Texas A&M’s global engineering program. The class, global engineering awareness, did not directly count towards my degree plan, but that is ok! It was a truly memorable, enriching, unique experience.
