My Purdue Journey

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               Before moving into Earhart hall my freshmen year, I did not know what college would look like or where these next four years would take me. But the one thing I did know was that I was ready for both the highs and lows of this new journey. Looking back now, after four of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life, I can confidently say I would not change a thing about my Purdue story.

Megan Tandarich, Mechanical Engineering Spring 2020 Graduate


Coming to Purdue

            Growing up in a small town on the east coast, the idea of moving to the Midwest, away from my family was daunting at times. I did not know what to expect nor what I wanted to do with an engineering degree. All I knew was that growing up everyone told me I was good at math and science so I should pursue a degree in engineering. On top of not knowing what I wanted to do with my future, the thought of having to start all over and make new friends was terrifying. I had grown up with the same people in the same place since I was little, so coming to Purdue was a big leap of faith for me.
            After finally making the long drive out to Purdue with my family and setting up my dorm room, it was time to get to work. During my first week at Purdue, I took part in the Boiler Gold Rush program where I ended up meeting some my best friends before classes even started. I can even say today that these girls are still some of my best friends. On top of this, after only a week on campus, I was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming and kind nature of the Midwest. Feeling slightly more comfortable about where I was and the people I was with, I was ready to dive into my first year of engineering courses.

Life at Purdue

            Throughout my next four years at Purdue, I was challenged in the classroom but also met with countless resources and opportunities along the way. Within my first few weeks of being at Purdue, I got involved with the Women in Engineering program. I quickly saw what an amazing resource this program was and decided to contribute even more as a member of the leadership team for WE link, one of the many subdivisions of the program. Besides simply being on the team, I also took part in the Women in Engineering learning community my freshmen year. This meant, I lived on a floor with all female engineers taking the same first year courses as me. This proved to be an amazing resource when it came to meeting my fellow engineers and working through homework and courses together. In addition to my academic involvements, Purdue also gave me the opportunity to become involved with both Greek life and the Purdue ski and snowboard club. Both organizations gave me an outlet from academics and introduced me to classmates outside of engineering. Looking back, I learned so much from my courses and the professors here, but the memories I will remember are the ones from my time spent in these organizations.
            Like many students, even as my first year was coming to an end, I knew I wanted to pursue Mechanical engineering but I still had no clue what this would translate to in industry. One thing was for sure though, I was not interested in the automotive or aerospace industries. Luckily, through Purdue’s career fair, Industrial roundtable, I was able to secure internships for all three summers. These internships are what truly helped me find my passion for consumer goods and taught me how to incorporate my mechanical engineering degree into a full-time job. With the help of countless organizations, an incredible degree, and three life-changing internships, I knew my time at Purdue had prepared me for my next big leap into the “real-world”.

What Now?

            Even with the challenges that Covid has created in the job market, I still graduated from Purdue with a full-time job. And after three incredible internships, I could not be more excited to be moving to St. Louis as a manufacturing engineer for Procter & Gamble. Procter & Gamble is a company that not only challenges me to be a better engineer but allows me to make a direct impact on the world around me.
            Now if someone would have asked me four years ago where I would be now, or what I would be doing, I would not even know where to start. But today, I could not be more excited for this next step in my journey and career. I can also confidently say that Purdue has given me not only the skills, but the network to succeed in this ever-changing workforce. Even after four years, it is difficult to summarize how much Purdue and the people I have met along the way have impacted me. But here is some advice that I will give any future boilermaker:
            Purdue will grow you in so many ways both academically and personally, so make your mark on Purdue and take the time to help our university grow. Our world-renowned university would not be where it is today without generations of Boilermakers ready to make a difference. So, use the platform that Purdue gives you to fight for what you believe in, make a change, and Boiler Up!

Megan Tandarich, Mechanical Engineering ‘20
WE Link Leadership Team Alumni

Stay Connected With Purdue WIEP!
Twitter: @purduewiep 
Instagram: @purduewiep
Email: welink@purdue.edu

Use the hashtag #PurdueWIEP on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Purdue Women in Engineering

Comments

  1. Barnacle BillJuly 23, 2020 at 8:07 PM

    we are proud grand parents of Purdue engineer! Go girl..

    ReplyDelete
  2. Narayana Rao K.V.S.S.August 24, 2020 at 11:41 PM

    Please remove the above comment. Put comment moderation on.

    ReplyDelete

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