My name is Evan Pickeral. The career that I would like to pursue the most is aeronautical engineering. From a young age, I have always been fascinated by the idea of flight. I think the person who influenced this the most was my grandfather who had his own plane. We have always bonded over planes, drones, and helicopters. Every year we would ride over and go to the air shows on base. I was always intrigued with all the things going on with an airplane. This passion led me to aerospace engineering, where I see the opportunity for advancements in aviation and space exploration. 

My journey toward becoming an aerospace engineer has been strongly influenced by the courses I've taken. I have been in honors math classes my whole high school career and have started Intro to stats at CSM. I have taken a foundational coding class where I learned all the basics of coding. Being in these classes have already helped me a lot so I can further understand the aeronautical industry. Throughout my life I have always loved to work with my hands. When I was around the age of 10 I got my first “build your own computer kit”. I loved it so much I saved up my money to build my own computer when I was 13 .In all, these courses and experiences have geared me towards being able to problem solve.

When I was 8 years old I started to play the game that I love, Lacrosse. Lacrosse is a very challenging sport because it requires a lot of hard work, leadership, and teamwork. Through the years that I played I have been able to make friends with teammates and work together with them on the field. Being a leader has always been important to me on and off the field. During my summers in high school I worked for my family business called Guy distribution. I am a warehouse employee who managed and distributed the energy drinks to local retailers around St. Mary's county. During school however, I worked at Salt Waterfront Kitchen where I was a food runner and host. With my experience I know how a commercial kitchen works and what the in’s & out’s of the kitchen are. After working at Salt I have picked up the hobby of cooking. I love to cook for my family and have social gatherings where I can hangout with family. I don't get to see that often.

Attending a four-year college for aerospace engineering is a critical step in achieving my career goals. I am currently interested in Frostburg, Salisbury, and the university of Maryland. Attending a university for aerospace engineering will provide me with the technical knowledge and practical skills necessary to excel in this challenging field. In order to be a successful aerospace engineer I would like to take classes that involve aerodynamics, propulsion, materials science, and systems engineering. With these courses under my belt I will have a deeper understanding of Aerospace engineering.

As a future aerospace engineer, I aspire to make a positive impact on society by contributing to advancements in technology like aviation. My skills in aerospace engineering will enable me to design and develop more efficient aircraft and spacecraft, reducing the environmental footprint of air travel. Additionally, my work in this field has the potential to inspire the next generation of aerospace engineers.