Why did you choose Mānoa?

I primarily choose to come to Manoa for financial reasons, though I am very grateful for studying engineering here due to the vast network that the College has with the local industry. I feel the CoE has set me up to work in Hawaii with both technical knowledge and a strong network that I could not get anywhere else.

What opportunities have you had while at Mānoa? 

While at Manoa, I’ve had countless opportunities to develop my technical, leadership, professional, and networking skills through the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter and Chi Epsilon. Some of my most significant projects included leading the planning of the ASCE Pacific Southwest Symposium in 2024 and our chapter’s 2025 Timber-Strong Design Build project as the Design Captain and Project Manager. I also serve in multiple leadership roles, most notably as the UHM ASCE Student Chapter’s President and as the Region 8 ASCE Student Presidential Group Voting Member, where I nationally represent students in the Western United States (excluding California) and Western Canada.

What engineering organizations are you involved in? 

I’m most involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), but I am also involved in Chi Epsilon as the Engineers’ Council at the University of Hawaii (ECUH) Representative. I joined ASCE in my freshman year, and Chi Epsilon in the fall semester of my sophomore year.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work in the industry? 

Manoa offers events such as the Career Expo and company informational sessions to connect with the local industry from freshman year. Additionally, student organizations like ASCE and Chi Epsilon have direct connections with the industry which allow students to directly interact with professionals through field trips, networking events, and guest speakers. These events have taught me about the different pathways in Civil Engineering and fostered many of my connections that I have today. Through these opportunities, I feel confident in the direction of my career and my options as I enter the workforce.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work successfully on a team? 

In addition to the labs and the capstone project that is integrated in the engineering curriculum, there are also many opportunities to work on teams outside of coursework through student-led organizations. I had extensive experience working within project and leadership groups in both ASCE and Chi Epsilon. Through these, I’ve learned techniques to budget for an event/organization, communicate my ideas, run efficient meetings, delegate tasks, execute initiatives, and more. I have seen strategies that did and did not work, and these experiences guide my decisions while I work in teams in the present and future. 

Any advice or words of encouragement for incoming first-year engineering students

It’s totally okay and normal to not know what you are doing at times, but when you don’t know something, take the initiative to learn. Whether it be asking for course help during office hours, joining a student organization to learn more about your profession, or going to the career fair to find an internship, there are countless opportunities at Manoa to learn beyond the classroom. Most importantly though, make connections with people in (and out of) your major since that’s what makes your time at Manoa meaningful!

Why did you choose Mānoa?

I chose UH Mānoa because the school offers a broad range of engineering disciplines, allowing students to explore and develop expertise in their chosen area of interest. There are also many opportunities to build your professional network, and I knew I was interested in making a difference in our own community when I graduated. At first, I didn’t know exactly what type of engineering I was interested in-- but through the years of taking classes, meeting classmates, and speaking to professors, I found my path in Electrical Engineering. Getting involved in opportunities within my chosen field has truly been the most exciting part of my college experience!

What opportunities have you had while at Mānoa? 

A great opportunity I had as an underclassman was taking part in a summer program led by the Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP) at UH Mānoa. This was an excellent first internship experience: I had great mentors who taught me a lot about circuits, programming, and PCB design, and I got to present the project at a symposium at UH Mānoa at the end of the summer. As an upperclassman, I enjoyed working at Hawai'i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), a research unit of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at UH Mānoa. This opportunity gave me the chance to see what it’s like to work in a professional engineering work environment. While working here, my supervisor and I published our research, and I even got to speak at an international conference which felt like a once in a lifetime experience! 

In the College of Engineering, there are many Vertically Integrated Projects to join that give you the opportunity to work with a team of undergraduate and graduate students, with the guidance of a faculty mentor. For my capstone design project, I joined the Smart Campus Energy Lab and found that it was a great way to get out of the classroom and have a hands-on learning experience with electronics. I learned a lot about PCB design, building circuits, and the relationship between the software and hardware that we used. During my experience I also got to know my fellow classmates better which was a lot of fun!

What engineering organizations are you involved in? 

I’m involved with Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) which is an International Honor Society club at UH Mānoa for Electrical and Computer Engineering students. We tutor underclassmen in electrical engineering courses and also participate in community service activities.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work in the industry? 

UH Mānoa prepared me to work in the industry in many different ways. The curriculum gave me a great foundation, and there are many knowledgeable professors to learn from. Speaking to professors, having an engineering related internship, and working on projects with other students taught me how to communicate and problem solve in a professional manner. The College of Engineering regularly hosts events with guest speakers from the industry, and network opportunities to meet with recruiters from engineering companies. There is also a College of Engineering Career Fair that is held every semester which gives students the opportunity to meet face-to-face with recruiters whether you’re interested in a summer internship or a career after graduation. Personally, this event really helped me since meeting a recruiter in-person is much more valuable than just submitting an application online. Also, the Mānoa Career Center offers career workshops every semester for resume building and interview preparation. 

How has Mānoa prepared you to work successfully on a team? 

At UH Mānoa, there were many lab courses and upper-level project based courses where I was required to work in group projects. I personally enjoyed ECE438: Renewable Energy, and ECE480: Introduction to Biomedical and Clinical Engineering in which our groups were tasked with creating a design for a renewable energy power system and a medical instrumentation device. Being involved in a VIP project was also a great way to learn how to work in a group setting with other students. I learned that it takes practice, patience, and the ability to adapt in order to work with different group dynamics, but it can be rewarding when you and your teammates bring your unique strengths and perspectives to the project!

Any advice or words of encouragement for incoming first-year engineering students

There are many different recipes for success! Be open to different solutions to help yourself achieve the goals that you have, especially if that means getting out of your comfort zone and finding the courage to network with other students, faculty, and potential employers. Be kind to yourself and to your other classmates. Also, accountability is important but don’t turn it into self-limiting beliefs about yourself. The most important thing is to get back up and keep going!

Why did you choose Mānoa?

I wanted to pick a career where I could help people. Originally I was very set on continuing my education in the medical pathway due to my passion for helping others. I talked to people in the medical field about creating medical devices for people with disabilities and it intrigued me. I attended a Freshman tour at Mānoa where I saw engineering students working on creating a hospital bed that was capable of taking the patients vital signs without having to wake them up. I thought that creating medical devices for people to improve their quality of life represents a balance between helping people and creativity, and that is what inspired me to choose engineering.

What opportunities have you had while at Mānoa? 

I was involved in the University of Hawaii Drone Technologies (UHDT) team which has allowed me the opportunity to work with other engineering disciplines to conduct research on autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). UHDT has allowed me to develop leadership skills, as well as effective oral and written communication skills which I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to experience otherwise. Another benefit of being a part of any research team is that there are opportunities to receive mentorship from previous alumni who have worked on the project. 

What engineering organizations are you involved in? 

None.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work in the industry? 

Mānoa provided me the opportunity to work on a group project that was multidisciplinary, which was made up of Electrical, Computer, and Mechanical engineers. Mānoa connects engineering students well with the industry by hosting career fairs where engineering companies from the industry come to Mānoa to recruit students for internships and full-time jobs. By attending the career fair, I was able to obtain summer internship experience in the industry which has greatly impacted my career development.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work successfully on a team? 

Mānoa has prepared me very well to work successfully with others on a team by integrating group work into the course work. By being a part of UHDT, I was able to experience working with others on a team in a project setting which required communication in order to complete critical tasks on time. My experience working on a team has helped me be more comfortable interacting with other engineers in the industry.

Any advice or words of encouragement for incoming first-year engineering students

Your experience here at Mānoa is what you make of it! The relationships that you build with your classmates will go a long ways. Sign up to attend the engineering social events as this is a good opportunity to branch out to meet students in other engineering disciplines. I wish the best of luck in your studies!