Reed Hampton ’19
I was one of the first cohorts to go through the general engineering program, and one of the first to realize the benefits of that program.
I love rocketry, so I originally wanted to pursue aerospace engineering. Then I realized I had a passion for the coding projects in engineering 111 and 112. I preferred coding over the theoretical applications of other classes and continue to enjoy the problem-solving aspects of computer science.
My first semester was rough, which was a humbling experience.
I sat down and wrote a very long life plan of all the things I wanted to do and the dates I wanted to do them by, to hold myself accountable throughout college and hopefully beyond. From there I was able to turn my academics around.
It’s never okay to settle.
As soon as you say something is good enough, you become complacent. You quit trying to improve. When you stop moving forward, everyone else is still pressing onward. Relatively speaking, you’re falling behind. I realized I needed to surround myself with people who were smarter than me, who were better than me at public speaking, who were more eloquent than me in interviews, and learn from them. That’s what led me to the SEC (Student Engineers’ Council). I recognized that it was a group of very qualified people, some of the most intelligent people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting that I am able to call my friends.
Engineering has a high opportunity for impact.
One individual’s contribution to the field can have a real impact on many people’s lives.
Silver Taps is a time to support other Aggies and their families, but also a time to contemplate your own life and how you treat others.
How you behave, not only as an individual in your personal life but also in your public life with your organizations and teachers is extremely important. Silver Taps is a solemn reminder that we won’t always be here to make amends, so it’s important to do things right the first time. I invite students who haven’t had a chance to attend Silver Taps to go with me and experience it!
The tenacity, care and concern Dean Banks has for the student body is inspiring.
She shows a deeper level of care not just for the college but for the people in it. The second group who inspires me is the students who look at what has been done before and see a new path forward. It inspires me to leave the SEC better than before.
The SEC is a collection of the people that serve and the people being served.
Looking back at Texas A&M as a whole, it’s not the classwork or the events that will stick with me the most. It’s the people, from the freshmen who have no idea what they’re doing to the seniors I looked up to as a freshman who had their life together.
There are many student organizations within the College of Engineering for you to get involved in. Find your place to get involved and find the perfect fit for you.
