I agreed to engineering somewhere along the way. The logical reasons for my agreement are obvious: job stability, monetary security, professional respect. However, I am not the type to make choices based on logic alone.
Transitioning from school to work life
I completed my first internship last summer and I’ve come to realize that there are a lot of differences between college and work life. Even though they’re fundamentally different in nature, there are some qualities that can become habits to ensure a smooth transition.
Pick Your Path – A Note To Future Engineering Students
When looking back on my time at Texas A&M and in the College of Engineering, I am abundantly appreciative of how Texas A&M Engineering really allows you to create your own path!
The Misconception of College Detours
The university experience can be overwhelming, and degree plans that seem immovable can be daunting from the perspective of perceived capabilities and straight up cost. The truth is that your journey to your degree is yours; don’t be afraid to veer from the traditional route to your diploma.
Engineering & Studying
I’ll be honest: I like learning, but I don’t always like studying. Something drew each of us to engineering, so as we go through the next few years, we each have to remember that the process (studying) is part of the promise (becoming an engineer).
A Day in the Life of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band
Watch this vlog by senior computer engineering student, Kelton Chesshire as he takes you along on a day in the life of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band!
Acing My Hardest Class
I took a chemistry class my freshman year, and that’s been my hardest class so far. What was the hardest class you ever took and how did you get through it?
Assembling a dissertation committee doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking!
Assembling a dissertation committee doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking! Your committee can make or break your experience as a grad student. To this end, here are a few suggestions and thoughts to ponder while you assemble your thesis/dissertation committee.
CEO City
Guest blogger Daniela Castro came up with three interesting theories why Texas A&M University tied with the University of Pennsylvania and Boston College for producing the most Fortune 500 CEOs.
The Weight of Office Hours
Attending office hours is the perfect way to build relationships with your professors beyond the classroom, which can lead you down a lot of different paths and open new doors you might not have thought about before.
A Few of My Cheerleaders
In the 1960s, there was this word: serendipity. To me, serendipity is events that are seemingly unrelated but can have a related significance, like a “coincidence.” (I put that in quotes because there are no coincidences!)
Time & Season: What Will You Plant?
There are many opportunities in our lifetime, especially during our time at Texas A&M. While we will have millions of opportunities, we each have to choose which to take in every season.
Leading for a Better Future: My Three Favorite Lessons on Leadership
As engineers, it is important for us to serve our communities to the best of our abilities, and it all starts with serving the teams of people we are responsible for.
The Co-op Connection: Landing the job
If you’re like me and don’t exactly know what you want to do after graduation, but desire a real, hands-on way of exploring engineering, consider a co-op. A co-op is an extended internship that can also count as a technical elective.
Ingeniare: The Group of Singing Engineers
It began as an idea on the back of a tour bus my freshman year, born in conversation with another singing engineer. Four months later, we recruited the university’s very first professional chorus made up entirely of engineering students.
Undergraduate Research Experience
As a freshman, I was very reserved about going into research. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I wasn’t sure if it was the right path for me. And, to be honest, I still haven’t figured out what I want to specialize in, but here’s how my research experience has helped me so far.
Transitioning Back to Campus
This semester is going to be full of newness. Whether the changes that we’re facing are liked or disliked, we have the option to be positive and embrace the new normal. Let’s make it a good semester and enjoy our time here!
3 important tips for excelling in PowerPoint presentations
It can be very difficult to present all of your hard work and knowledge in a mere five-minute presentation, especially when you might face unfair judgment. With that said, I have some tips for how you can prepare well and be confident while presenting. Here is a simple way to impress your audience by helping them stick with your speech rather than feel lost in the figures and descriptions on the slides.
How the Corps of Cadets and Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band helped me become a better engineer
Some experiences and lessons learned from being an engineer in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.
Being a Woman in Engineering
If you find yourself doubting if you can be an engineer, the answer is yes, you certainly can.
Struggling to find things to do outside research? Here are some ideas to change that.
Life as a graduate student can be busy and demanding. Juggling classes, research goals and advisor expectations can bring with it rigors that make living up to every benchmark tough and draining. In times like these, I find it extremely rewarding to give myself some wiggle room to just relax and involve myself in activities that help me recharge. Different people find solace in different activities. Some like sleeping in, hanging out with friends, etc. If, like me, you enjoy spending time outdoors, here are some ideas for things to do.
Explore your creativity with Fischer Design Center resources!
When class finishes and many rush out of their learning studios and flood the Zachry Learning Stairs, the vast majority of students simply breeze past the most impressive part of the building. No, not Starbucks — the SuSu and Mark A. Fischer ’72 Engineering Design Center.
What Anchoring a Podcast Taught Me About Defining Success
I am a student host for SoundBytes, the Texas A&M Engineering podcast, and I’ve had the opportunity to interview so many amazing student leaders, program directors and people with tremendous and far-reaching impact! Separating me from every phenomenal person I’ve interviewed are only two microphones and a mixing station. Unfortunately, being that close to other successful people doesn’t mean that I can osmotically become more successful, nor does it mean I can easily define what success looks like in my life.
You Graduated Without a Job Offer… Now What?
It may feel intimidating at first to see people around you getting careers started, but that doesn’t mean you’re behind. Taking time to understand what you want from a career, how you want to pursue it and how that may affect your life is a highly personal process.
Personal Financial Management
Personal finances can be tricky. They are a continuous task, and the transition into adulthood can be very confusing. Having a solid financial plan can help diminish financial problems, and even making the slightest change can have a big impact.
Significance of a Mentor
Mentors come in many varieties: a class professor, research professor, upperclassman, co-worker, manager, etc. But they all serve to guide you along your path. It’s a humbling experience to have someone take the time to teach you concepts that you struggle with. Mentors build you up by being candid with you and sharing wisdom for how to approach situations.
How To Ditch a Bad Habit
We have all had a bad habit that drains us in certain aspects of our life, whether it is physically, mentally, or emotionally. They reduce our productivity and prevent us from having a healthy lifestyle, and it is important to end them so we can improve ourselves. Sometimes it is difficult to know where to start the process so I will be sharing a few tips that will help accomplish your goal.
My Engineering Experience at Texas A&M Higher Education Center at McAllen
Students at the Higher Education Center at McAllen have a unique opportunity to earn an engineering degree from Texas A&M University while living in a thriving, close-knit community in the Rio Grande Valley. Check out Kassie’s vlog where she shares a glimpse into life at Higher Education Center at McAllen!
Benefits of the Engineering Academy
When I was applying to Texas A&M, I was very worried about starting classes. Being a woman in STEM can be an intimidating career path, but I didn’t want to let my fears overcome me. That’s when I got the offer to be a part of the Engineering Academy, and I was relieved. This program was the best pathway for transitioning to a noticeably big school. It made me feel more included in classes and it has many benefits.
Life Outside of Engineering
For many of us, classes and school work take up a majority of our day—which is okay because, after all, that is the reason we are here, right? Yes, we are here to get the best education, but what about life outside of engineering? There are many components of Texas A&M that go beyond the glass walls of the Zachry building.