U-Connect

I want to be an engineer to help others while doing something I love. I want to design solutions with others while having fun and being creative. I’ve always enjoyed building and taking apart things, and in school I loved to learn, especially about math and science. Engineering is a broad field so there are many new opportunities I want to take advantage of!

A big challenge for me was actually myself. I had a lot of doubts about my skills and if I would be able to handle engineering. I was super scared that I would constantly struggle but I decided to believe in myself and go for it. It was one of the best decisions so far and it hasn’t been an easy path, but my intrusive thoughts were far from the truth.

Why not go for it! Don’t have doubts about your skills because anything is possible. It may sound intimidating to go into a male dominated field but it’s changing. There’s so much more diversity in engineering now, so why not take a chance to study this wonderful field.

If you’re still hesitant, talking to others in STEM degrees can help. There are many false myths out there about engineering and STEM in general, like you must be excellent at coding, or engineers don’t write anything, so talking to those in the field and students like us U-Connect mentors can help lessen the worry and give you a better understanding.

Schulich has it’s diversity champions in engineering award, dedicated to those entering first year who support and want to increase diversity here. There are also many clubs who take inexperienced and experienced members to increase inclusivity. We also have a common core year, where we all take the same subjects and then choose our majors and sometimes minors for our next years. So if you’re unsure about what you’d like to major it, don’t worry there’s plenty of time!

Schulich is also very flexible with entrance requirements. If in high school, you didn’t take calculus, there’s a slightly different common core year catered to you. If you didn’t take physics, you can use biology to get into engineering and do a course over the summer. Also, the community is very welcoming. Many professors love engaging with their students, so don’t be afraid to ask questions or say hello.

The best part about engineering is that I get to work on projects with others. I enjoy learning the theory in class but applying it to real problems is what I like most. I’m shy at times, but when it comes to teamwork and working together, I love it and enjoy finding solutions with others.