Why I'm Grateful I Chose Purdue!

By -

There are so many different aspects that factor into your college decision. Choosing your new home away from home can be incredibly involved, but the factor I found to truly highlight colleges was hearing directly from the students.

As the end of the year approaches, this time is great for reflection and expressing thanks. Below are some of the reasons I’m so grateful I chose to attend Purdue. I hope my experiences help give you a window into being a Purdue engineering student and provide some more context for your college decision.


Maymester study abroad in Italy!

Purdue’s First-Year Engineering Program

               Whether you know which type of engineering you want to study or if you have no clue but want to learn more about the different types, Purdue’s First-Year Engineering Program (FYE) is built for you. During your first year, you can attend information sessions from any of Purdue’s Engineering schools. Another large component of our FYE Program is teamwork; you will have the opportunity to work on a small team (of about four) for various projects. This teamwork experience starts from Day 1 and helps Purdue students stand out in many internship interviews.

 

Purdue’s Collaborative & Friendly Community

            Out of all of these amazing reasons I’m thankful for choosing Purdue, the community is my favorite. Engineering is innately based on teamwork and problem-solving. To truly reap all the benefits of an engineering education, a collaborative community is key. At Purdue, the culture is based on learning, growing, and creating together. I’m always collaborating with friends on projects, homework, and studying. From your first day at Purdue, the residence halls and living-learning communities are architecturally designed for collaboration with group workspaces, whiteboards, lounge areas, and study rooms.

 

Big Ten Sports

            Whether you are an avid watcher and follower of college sports, if you know nothing about sports, or anything in between, attending a Purdue Big Ten game is a top 10 college experience. One of my fondest memories is rushing the football field after our big upset wins over OSU in 2018 and Michigan State just a few weeks ago!

 

Bridge climb from one of my internships

Abundance of opportunities

            One great advantage of a large school is the abundance of opportunities that come with it. Three of my favorite opportunities have been studying abroad, interning, and attending conferences at Purdue. In May after my freshman year, I studied abroad through the Honors College in Italy taking two classes (DaVinci & the Art of Travel). I’ve also had the opportunity to intern over the summer from attending Purdue’s many career fairs. Finally, as a large school, Purdue hosts many conferences with presentations from leading industry professionals that you can attend as a student.  

 

Purdue Women in Engineering Program’s Mentoring & Connections

            As an out-of-state student from Philadelphia, I didn’t know anyone before I came to Purdue. By taking part in the Mentors & Mentees Program, I was paired with an upperclassman in civil engineering. It was very valuable to have someone to contact with any questions and gain insight about great civil engineering classes and professors. Another great opportunity from WIEP is Access Alum events where I have connected with several industry professionals.

 

Honors College

            Coming from a very small high school graduating class, the Honors College was a great way for me to make Purdue feel smaller. I loved taking part in the Honors College learning community and meeting friends in other majors! I also truly enjoyed combining calculus-based physics and engineering principles in the GOSS Scholars First-Year Engineering track.

 

Outside of Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering

Ranked Civil Engineering Program

            There are so many reasons why I love the civil engineering program here at Purdue that I could write an entire blog about it! But for purposes here, I’ll list a few of my favorite points. The Lyles School of Civil Engineering has 9 different concentrations, including general, that you could choose from. Although you typically select one concentration, you still take classes in the others, developing you into a very well-rounded civil engineer. In addition to the vastness of the program, Lyles also places a heavy emphasis on learning in the lab. With at least one lab every semester, we learn how to design the most sustainable, safe, and well-functioning systems and infrastructure.  


JT Sarisky, Civil Engineering '22

WE Link Leadership Team


Stay Connected With Purdue WIEP!

Facebook: Purdue Women in Engineering

Twitter: @purduewiep 

Instagram: @purduewiep

Blog: purduewiep.blogspot.com

Email: welink@purdue.edu



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

Purdue Women in Engineering

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Purdue Housing

By -
Image
One of the many concerns incoming freshmen have is what to do regarding their housing options. In addition to the roommate selection process, you may be interested in seeing your on-campus options in terms of amenities and the communities available within the building. For example, when I accepted my admission to Purdue as a freshman, I knew I was interested in a standard double that I had experienced at a summer college program. To ensure my University Residences housing, I applied to Vertically Integrated Projects so that I would be able to pursue a research project as a freshman while also guaranteeing my housing within Earhart Hall through the connected learning community. For more information on learning communities, read our previous blog! Many freshmen will live in a residence hall, even if they are not in a specific learning community. Now, as a Resident Assistant or RA in Earhart Hall, I have been trained on the term “residence hall”; our halls go beyond a traditional “dormito
Read more

A very (sub)objective review of dining options at Purdue

By -
Image
Jenn and her friends after the Thankgiving dinner Food is an integral part of our day. For some people, the very first thing they do in the morning is eat breakfast. I personally prefer my cup of coffee to a stack of waffles. Nonetheless, food has the power to pick up a bad mood, enhance a good mood, and even ease the stress you are feeling about exams and homework. The awareness I have of how food impacts my mood is recently found since I started college in August. at home I usually came home to my mom or dad making something delicious in the crockpot. Suddenly I arrive at college and there are so many options that it can get overwhelming at times to figure out what to eat. Navigating the dining options at college did not seem like something I should have been worried about, yet it was something that took a month of experimenting to perfect.  The key is knowing where to go and what is consistent. I decided to help you out and give you some insight into how I view each dining option on
Read more

Top 10 Extracurriculars Purdue Students Want You to Join Outside of Engineering

By -
Image
1. Purdue University Dance Marathon (PUDM):  The biggest student-run organization on campus! You can join as a dancer, where you get to fundraise leading up to the 18-hour long event or be even more involved and join a committee! Some of the committees include Riley Relations, where you fundraise to sponsor events for the Riley families throughout the year & are paired with a Riley family for the night of the event, Special Events Committee, where you organize 5K’s and other events around campus throughout the year, and so much more! 2. Boiler Gold Rush (BGR):  Whether it be as a new student, a team leader (TL), or even a Supervisor, there are so many ways to get involved with BGR! This week-long event is held the week before classes start in August. As a new student, it is your first chance to meet your new colleagues and participate in many games, fountain runs, and other fun activities throughout the week. It is also a great way to familiarize yourself with the campus an
Read more