Student Spotlight: Christian
What is your current Emphasis and Concentration?
I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering + Entrepreneurship.
Why did you decide on this combination for your Concentration and Emphasis?
Originally I came to ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder to study Aerospace Engineering because ever since I was about 10 years old I could not shake my fascination in airplanes. I used to create basic blue print designs of ideas I had and make working 3D models from paper. It was definitely an obsession. Before that however I wanted to be an architect that would design massive buildings one day. As time went on I found more and more interests that became passions I could see myself pursing. Freshman year I realized that the basis of all my passions was this desire to create and then share what I created. This entrepreneurial spirit has been with me for years, so when I found the potential to combine it with my passion for engineering through e+ I knew I struck gold. By building my degree in e+ I have found that I am building the foundation for numerous doors in the future. To have the opportunity to open even one of those doors and create a company based on one of my passions has become even more real to me because of e+.
Why did you choose Engineering Plus as your major?
After a semester of studying Aerospace Engineering, I felt that I was missing something in my education. I switched into Mechanical Engineering and felt that I was drawing closer to the educational experience that would build the foundation for me to pursue my passions as a career in the future. When a friend of mine told me about the e+ program she was in, I became incredibly curious about what this opportunity might bring. After researching the major a little more I found that it held the missing link. To be able to focus on the branch of engineering that would give me the most versatile skills while gaining hands on experience AND honing my entrepreneurial spirit was an opportunity I could not pass up.
What do you find most unique about this program?
Everyone I have met is happy and passionate about what they are doing with Engineering Plus. Whether they are getting their degree, teaching, or administering and designing the program, they are excited to be there. It feels more like a community than the other two majors I had previously been in. Everyone truly cares about honing the unique interests of one another and that is a really cool thing to be a part of.
What have you gained from an e+ degree, versus a traditional engineering degree?
The fact that I can fashion two of my greatest passions together in a degree that will give me numerous opportunities to gain hands on experience and diversify my skillset is something I never knew was possible. I learn best by doing, not by cramming my brain full of facts and equations and then taking quizzes and exams. Everything e+ has to offer is practical, everything I have learned, am learning, and will learn through the program will help me think quickly on my feet in the workspace.