A Previous LT Reflects: Alumna Blog

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Before coming to Purdue, I wasn’t sure exactly where I would best fit in, or if engineering was even right for me. Luckily, the First-Year Engineering program -- what I believe truly sets Purdue apart from other colleges -- helped me realize that I enjoyed engineering and that mechanical engineering was my passion. Outside of class, I quickly found my home in the Women in Engineering Program’s recruitment team, called WE Link. I was able to join the leadership team the second semester of my freshman year, which provided so much leadership experience and a close-knit network early-on in my collegiate career. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my internships, other extra-curricular and closest friends all somehow arised from WE Link, and I will always be ever grateful to Purdue WIEP for giving me an outlet to grow!


After graduating in 2019, I started full-time at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana as a Tech Engineer in the Assembly Frame Department. My group is responsible for design changes on current and future models, maintaining fixtures, and other tasks relating to managing and assembling parts. I knew little to nothing about cars prior to working here in 2017 for my first internship, but I knew that I was challenging myself and that I would learn so much! Transitioning from college life to the workforce was difficult, but I knew I was as prepared as I could be from my time at Purdue and my previous two internships at Honda. I was prepared to articulate my thoughts and speak to people based on my WE Link recruiting experience. I was prepared to innovate and work with others of many backgrounds from my entrepreneurship classes. I was prepared to lead, be organized and stay calm from my positions in Phi Sigma Rho. And I was prepared to tackle any challenge on my way with hard work and determination from my mechanical engineering classes. It took a few months to get acclimated to my work and processes of doing work, and I am still learning every day, but I know I can walk away at the end of the day satisfied and having learned more than the previous day. 

I think a lot about how nearly my job correlates to all that I learned at Purdue. However, it’s not so much memorizing phases in fluids class or computing double integrals but instead working with people, managing projects and thinking outside the box. On a daily basis, my job can vary anywhere from more boring tasks like reading emails and analyzing changes in the design of parts to being line side on the production floor to solve problems quickly. As someone who gets bored easily and likes to be challenged, this has proved to be a great fit for me, and throughout my internships is what continued to draw me back to manufacturing. I encourage you to try something new and out of your comfort zone while you can - you never know what might come from it! 


Something I will never forget is when Purdue President Mitch Daniels came for dinner at my sorority house and held a Q&A session. Someone asked, “what do companies value most in Purdue students?” His answer was, along the lines of, “Companies have found that beyond the necessary knowledge is that Boilermakers put in the work even when times are tough. They work hard and are determined even when the world is seemingly against them.” I couldn’t relate more to my experiences in class and in the workforce. Sometimes life hands you obstacles, and no matter how steep those obstacles are, if you are willing to put in the work anything is possible! And, you come out with confidence and growth like never before. Just know that at Purdue you can grow leaps and bounds and at Purdue you can truly find your home. So wherever life takes you, just always remember, anything can be accomplished with hard work and a positive attitude.

 

Boiler Up! Hammer Down! Hail Purdue!

 

 Allison Meyer, Mechanical Engineering '19

WE Link Leadership Team Alumni


Stay Connected With Purdue WIEP!

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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

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