I have always been fascinated with the making and creating of things. This has led me to explore the field of engineering as a career. I have learned about engineering through my parents who both work in the engineering field. My mom is a software engineer working in flight simulation and my dad is a systems engineer developing missiles. In college, I am looking to pursue a degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering but am still open to exploring all facets of engineering.

This year I am a freshman in the class of 2028 at Virginia Tech looking to pursue a B.S. in mechanical engineering. In high school I was enrolled in the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center which developed my passion for engineering. I am taking several courses such as linear algebra and chemistry that will lay the foundation for my engineering education. I have taken several classes in the past such as AP Computer Science A, AP Calculus AB & BC, AP Biology, AP Physics 1, and Engineering which will help me reach my goal of becoming an engineer. The Engineering course at my local Tech Center course provided many useful skills that I will apply to my learning here at Virginia Tech. We gained hands-on experience with many tools in the workshop and learned the fundamentals of CAD programs such as AutoCAD and SolidWorks.

This year, I am a part of the living-learning community Hypatia that teaches engineers professional development skills. I have also been involved in several clubs both inside and outside of high school. I have been a part of Key Club, S2S (Student to Student), and Freshman Advisory. Key Club is an international service club where I volunteered my time to help those in my community and have learned the importance of teamwork. S2S and Freshman Advisory both focus on helping to assimilate freshmen and new students into the school. I have improved my leadership skills through these clubs when leading large group activities. One of my main passions is playing tennis which I do both for the high school and in a team outside of school. I have also started a tennis coaching business where I teach kids beginning tennis skills. Playing and coaching tennis has taught me the importance of teamwork and leadership. I hope to continue playing and teaching tennis during my time at Virginia Tech. 

Following graduation, I plan to pursue a Master's Degree to specialize in a certain area of engineering. This will help me to achieve my career goal of working at PAX River or another military base. Also, this past summer I interned at the N2W NAWCAD internship on my local naval base. This internship opened my eyes to the opportunities available and I learned about the actual applications of engineering degrees through experience with the engineers on base. I also hope to continue doing internships during the summer to practice the concepts I have learned and gain real-world engineering experience.    

After college, I plan to enter the workforce as an engineer and support the military. I hope to be part of a team that creates solutions to help the security of our nation. I am eager to use my education, creative thinking, and positive attitude to have a large impact on the community by becoming a mentor for future engineers.