Living the Purdue Engineering Legacy

By -

Over my last four years here at Purdue, I have begun to appreciate what it means to be a Purdue Engineer.  As I approach graduation, I can confidently say that the engineering program and college involvement here is truly something special.  Purdue offers and environment where curiosity and innovation thrive.  So, what makes Purdue stand out?  It is the electric community, the powerful network of Purdue Alumni, and the number of opportunities to grow academically, professionally, and personally. 


Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program

One program that has been very special to me throughout my time here is Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program (WiE).  This program was the first Women in Engineering Program in the nation founded in 1969.  The Women in Engineering Program makes continual efforts to support current students with the Mentees and Mentors Program, Access Alum events, the Women in Engineer Living and Learning Community, free tutoring, and so much more.  This has been reflected in female enrollment numbers in the College of Engineering; since 2014, there has been over 105% increase in undergraduate women in engineering! 

Personally, I have been involved in the Women in Engineering Program throughout my time here at Purdue, and it has certainly helped shape me into a successful student and the engineer I am today!  You can learn more about Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program here.

Purdue’s Alumni Network

Purdue’s Alumni Network is extensive with reach across the globe impacting the world in a multitude of ways.  Some famous alumni from Purdue include Neil Armstrong, Lillian Gilbreth, Charles Ellis, and so many more!  These few examples demonstrate what is possible with an engineering degree from Purdue.  Additionally, employers recognize the hard work and excellence behind a Purdue engineering education.

Alums often return to campus to mentor students, recruit students for internships, offer real-world experiences, and share about the career they are pursuing today.  These connections can show what is possible post-grad and help students build a strong network.

Purdue’s Collaborative Culture

Purdue has one of the most collaborative environments I have ever been a part of.  Ranging from group projects, to study groups, to lab groups, to extracurriculars, Purdue encourages students to work together and gain experience working in a team.  Moving forward in your career, working in a team becomes essential so the teamwork lessons learned in college become extremely valuable.  Coming to Purdue, I was unaware of the collaborative environment; that being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the immediate support I received.  All of my fellow classmates want to help each other succeed, which makes for an extremely comfortable environment.  Being able to work together in a team is an awarding experience that makes you feel a part of the Boilermaker Community. 

Purdue’s Versatility for Your Engineering Degree

In total, Purdue offers 18 engineering disciplines for you to choose from!  If there is not a discipline that piques your interest, you can create your own major through Purdue’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Studies and Multidisciplinary Engineering Programs.  Additionally, many engineering majors allow you to tailor your degree to your interests.  For instance, there are five pathways in biomedical engineering that students can choose to pursue.  In my experience, this made my degree so much more exciting as I could learn about the aspects of biomedical engineering that I was the most interested in.

As a first-year student, you can also choose different pathways that supports you the best.  There are multiple paths through Purdue’s First-Year Engineering Program, such as EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service), VIP (Vertically Integrated Projects), Engineering 131 and 132, and the Honor’s Program Engineering 161 and 162.  All of these options provide students with ultimate flexibility to tailor their engineering degree towards their interests and aspirations.

All in all, I would not trade my experience at Purdue for anything in the world.  I immediately felt welcomed and supported as soon as I arrived to campus.  There are so many opportunities I have been able to do thanks to Purdue and the amazing resources the college provides.  I know that the engineering degree I earned will allow me to reach all of my future goals and support me throughout the rest of my life.

Isa Hollenstein, BME'26

WE Link Leadership Team

Stay Connected With Purdue WiE Program!

Facebook: Purdue Women in Engineering

Instagram: @purdue.wie

Blog: purduewiep.blogspot.com

Email: welink@purdue.edu

YouTube: Purdue Women in Engineering Program - YouTube

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

My Admissions Process: Deferred, Waitlisted, Admitted

By -
Image
May 1st of my senior year, I wasn’t wearing a Purdue shirt. Instead, I was representing another Big 10 school because I wasn’t committed—or even admitted—to Purdue. That morning, I was doing a last-minute review for my AP Chemistry exam when I decided to scroll through my phone. Given that it was Decision Day and Purdue was my dream school, I checked my admissions portal one last time to reread my waitlist decision letter. But this time, there was an update: I had been admitted to Purdue’s First-Year Engineering program after being deferred and then waitlisted. I was ecstatic! Later that day, after finishing my AP Chemistry exam, I officially committed to Purdue. The first time I toured Purdue, it was a cold and rainy day in West Lafayette, and to be honest, I didn’t love it. At the time, I had considered studying engineering but wasn’t entirely sure. In the spring of my junior year, my mom found an event hosted by Purdue’s Women in Engineering Program called "Exploring Engineerin...
Read more

I've Applied to Purdue, Now What?

By -
Image
The Early Action deadline for Purdue University was November 1st. This was also the priority deadline to be considered for First Year Engineering at the West Lafayette location as well as many engineering disciplines in Indianapolis. This was also the deadline to be considered for Purdue’s full range of scholarships and the John Martinson Honors College. If you haven’t applied to Purdue yet, don’t worry! The regular decision application deadline is January 15th. If you have applied and are looking into any of these opportunities, congratulations! Here are some next steps you can take as you wait for decisions on January 15th. Take a Break and Enjoy your Senior Year It is so important to give yourself grace once you submit your college applications! It is a long process, and now is a great chance to hang out with your hometown friends and make senior year memories before going off to college. Use this time to prioritize your friends and family while maintaining your grades. Studying is...
Read more