Torivio Hall

English

Kim Sibson

12/2/17

Project Statement

Who are the people that design products or processes to meet the needs of the population of

the world? Engineers, though most of the engineering education is primarily on designing

products; they also design processes. By following my goals to graduation and beyond, along

with preparing myself for any obstacle that comes my way, and maintaining myself until I reach

such goals. I can design my process to becoming a World-Class Engineering Student.

Setting goals that you want to achieve through your engineering education is the start

to making a good process because without a goal nothing can be done. A world class engineer

would already have goals set that they will achieve throughout their engineering studies. My

first and most important is to graduate with a computer engineering degree, and a 3.0 or above

GPA in four years; I would be proud to say that I had a 3.5 but would still want better. I would

feel alright with a 3.0 if thats what I received after working my hardest and 2.5 or lower I

would feel disappointed in myself.

. To accomplish this goal, I would need to stay committed to computer engineering, take a

summer class to catch up in math and continue to get As in my classes. To stay committed to

engineering one must see what success in engineering studies will do to improve the quality of

your life. World-Class Engineering students receive all kinds of rewards and benefits for

succeeding in their field. Just the name engineer gives people a whole new outlook on who

they are speaking with; they see someone who has achieved greatness as everyone knows how

difficult it is to become an engineer, this prestige is one of the many benefits of being an

engineer. Being an engineer one receives credibility in and out their field, as they must have a

clear understanding of their field and tend to be highly intelligent individuals. Engineers with

their degree can get a job anywhere they wish as long as they are somewhat qualified, and

engineers make crazy bank. There are multiple reasons that I chose to study engineering but if I

was to pick one it would be for the challenge. I chose this because a career that offers a

challenge is also a career that is fun and interesting. This is important to me because the idea of

working on something that leads to bigger and better things through hard work is what I want

and isnt the routine work of most other jobs.

What is engineering; Engineering is the practice of safe and economic application of

the scientific laws governing the forces and materials of nature by means of organization,

design, and construction, for the general benefit of mankind (S. E. Lindsay). What I believe that
engineering is the art of organizing and utilizing materials, people and information to achieve a

goal while at the same time using a minimal amount of resources and energy as possible.

A World-Class Engineering Student would now past engineers achievements but also their

failures and learn from them, and would be up to date with any current opportunity in their

field and other fields of engineering too. They would know what they would be doing on the job

and the groups of industry they would be working with. I have recognized the work of past

engineers achievements and failures and learned a little from them. I have a general

understanding of the job functions that will be asked of me but I am not as up to date with

current opportunities and the industry sectors that are out there. To move forward I must learn

more about my field, the businesses associated with it, the opportunities that are going on

now, and what will be available in the future.

Engineers must be prepared ahead of time to reach the goals that they strive for and by

making a road-map they can do so. A World-Class Engineering Student would have their

term-by-term plan done so they can have everything needed to graduate. I have my road

map prepared and had it checked by my advisor so I can follow this plan to make my way to

graduation as smoothly as possible. But sometimes things get in your way or interrupt your

plans entirely; A World-Class Engineering Student would be mentally and physical prepared for

any adversity that comes in the way of their plans, by having backup plans, the ability to adapt

and overcome any problem and leeway to alter their previous plans. I have minor backup plans
to counter adversity and I adapt well to new or unexpected situations that could possible

interfere with my plans although I could make more plans for instances that could happen. A

World-Class Engineering Student should be able to manage all aspects of their life from their

studies to family and friends, to money; everything would be in order. I believe I have my life in

order, I currently stay on campus in the dorms with another engineering student. We do have a

television but dont use it that often and other than that there is nothing much else to distract

from working. I dont plan to work during the school year and I am only of thinking to get a job

during the summer or becoming an intern. Im expecting a lot of work for this is engineering

after all and made myself fully prepared to spend majority of my time studying. My family does

come and visit on occasion but I have informed them of the amount of time and focus that I

need to put into my studies, and my friends mainly consist of engineering students and other

courses that require long durations of studying, so I find that my current situation is balanced in

all aspects.

Attitude towards coursework can greatly affect the grades you receive in class. If your

overconfident you wont feel the need to learn the material and it could cause confusion when

the point is reached to where you dont know what is going on. If you have low self-confidence

you may give up on learning the work and quit early in the class. A World-Class Engineering

Student would find a middle ground because they shouldnt feel scared of the class but they

also shouldnt get cocky. I wouldnt say that Im overconfident in any subject, there are a few
that I have low confidence in but Im confident to the point that I could figure it out. I will study

hardier to improve my level of confidence. Even with having confidence in the things you do,

asking for help will always be essential. World-Class Engineering Students should be able to

ask for help and be able to change, grow, develop and improve based on what is learned. I

accept most help, but try to figure most things out on my own, though when someone does

help me I tend to improve or change when the reasoning is logical. So, learning to accept more

help is something I need to do and I must continue to develop based on what I receive.

Procrastination is not a sign of a World-Class Engineering Student; I have a tendency to

procrastinate and I must fix this to be a better engineer. To succeed in engineering, you may

find yourself studying with other, and being able to do so says how well you are able to work in

a group; which is a sign of a World-Class Engineering Student. I spend majority of my study

time with one or more of my fellow students. The main reason for this is due to the fact that all

my roommates are fellow engineering students and they are also in many of my key classes. A

World-Class Engineering Student does not show avoidance behaviors and shows respect to

people of authority. They dont run from hard tasks but face them head strong as engineers are

the ones that take the difficult jobs and makes them easy. They also respect authority figures as

a World-Class Engineering Student should know that by being an engineer doesnt make them

more than a human and if someone worked for their higher position they deserve the respect

they earned.
 A World-Class Engineering Student knows the was that they learn the best and the

ways that they are taught the best for themselves. I found that Im a very visual and hands on

learner and learn the best when taught with live demonstrations; a good example of this is my

psychology class, even though its not super hands on Ive learned the most in this class as the

professor draws on past experiences with students, family and stories he has heard to connect

the concept with real life. In doing so it made it far easier for me to grasp an understanding of

each chapter and excel in the class. Engineering Students that would be called World-Class

Would understand their way of thinking and improve it. I know how I learn, I need the

connections to make the subject truly sink in. To improve on my ways of learning I must one

learn to find my own connections between the coursework and experiences and must try to

grasp other ways of having the material sink in because there are sometimes where you cant

make that connection. World-Class Engineering Students devote adequate time to studying

for every class every day, mastering the material learned in the previous class before the next

class, studies in groups and shares information between peers, uses the professor in and out of

class, and reads about the lecture ahead of time. I devote a good majority of my time to study

for each class every day, to make sure that I have a mastery of the concept. My friends and

peers mainly consist of engineering students and other courses that require long durations of

studying, so they are willing to do a group study and we share information often. Most of my

key class professors know me by name. I believe that being forward with my professor and
going to them during their office hours or when theyre free is the best way to utilize the

information that my professors can provide. I prepare for most of my lectures by reading

through the notes so I can have a better understanding in class, but not all the time so

preparing for lecture is something I need to work on.

The ability to manage multiple tasks at the same time is a skill possessed by World-

Class Engineering Students. I manage my time and tasks well; from studying, completing

assignments, doing favors for or hanging with friends, I manage it all pretty well and know what

should take priority over others. Engineers work on many assignments at the same time so

having this skill would be essential by managing their time well they can get their jobs done

while having enough free time to relieve the stresses of their work and life. They also possess

leadership skills and can take charge at a moments notice. I can say that I do this well, but I

sometimes dislike it and only really do it when needed. I must work on this and gain more

confidence in my ability to lead because this skill is desired by most employers. Just as being a

leader is important so is the ability to cooperate with others, teamwork is necessary in any field

of engineering because most projects come out better with less errors when multiple people

contribute to the effort. I am great at teamwork and tend to be the glue in most groups

defusing negative situations and encouraging positive ones, listening to other opinions along

with my own and using a compilation of these ideas into the final result. Making sure
everything goes to plan, finishing my contribution and helping others to further increase the

progress in the project.

Being in co-curricular activities can greatly give people an upper hand in becoming a

World-Class Engineering Student. I joined and participated in the VEX Robotics Club and it

gave me firsthand experience with what Im going to be doing as an engineer. I convinced

myself to join as it would be a good opportunity to make friends and to get help from students

who are older than me that have already learned the material that Im learning at the moment.

I also spent some time in Concrete Canoe and I was able to take a peek at what happens in the

civil branch of engineering. I have been in a few co-curricular activities and feel like Im doing

what I need to do to become World-Class Engineering Student.

Understanding and respecting the different ways people learn, the ways people act, and

respecting them no matter what gender or ethnicity is another good feature found not in just a

World-Class Engineering Student, but a World-Class Person. I have respect for everyone, as

long as you respect me I respect you. I accept other peoples thoughts and try to grasp where

they are coming from; not only can it be right but it is also an opportunity to learn something

new that you wouldnt have thought of on your own. Gender and ethnicity have nothing to do

with a persons intelligence and even if you think they are incorrect they should still be

respected and heard out because you may be the one in the wrong and by listening you can be

brought into the light, like a baptism; giving a new view of the things around you.
 I believe everyone not just World-Class Engineering Students should engage in good

health and wellness practices because you only live once. This includes diet, exercise, and

management of stress. I have an okay diet I eat a good amount of food, sometimes a little more

but that is okay as long as I dont over eat or under eat. I exercise quite often and some of my

friends say I do it too much but it is something I love to do; basketball to me is like bones to

dogs and if its a healthy activity I dont see nothing wrong with participating in it. Managing my

stress has become harder ever since coming to college with living on my own, the never ending

due dates, and the stresses of life in general. I have found means to manage these stresses

though by fitting in time for me like playing my videogames, calling old friends, making and

hanging with new friends, and finding a few trust worthy people to be open with that I know

will have my back and support me through my hard times.

World-Class Engineering Students are professional and practice ethical behaviors. I find

myself to have a high sense of personal and professional integrity as I want people to take me

seriously as an adult and an engineer but also want people to see my unique personality that

makes me who I am. I say I balance these two out and that from what I believe is a quality of a

World-Class Engineering Student.

Old Dominion University is an amazing campus with many assets to help its students

succeed. A World-Class Engineering Student would use any to all these assets to help in their
studies. I have used some of the resources given to me such as the tutors and advising but I

could be better when it comes to using the full potential of the resources of ODU.

Being a World-Class Engineering Student you must see you job as fun, you must find

what about this job that makes you want to keep going. I chose this because a career that

offers a challenge is also a career that is fun and interesting. They must also want to work for

the future this is important to me because the idea of working on something that leads to

bigger and better things through hard work is what I want and isnt the routine work of most

other jobs. They must also live their life by their definition of engineering; my definition of

Engineering that I desire to live by is the art of organizing and utilizing materials, people and

information to achieve a goal while at the same time using a minimal amount of resources and

energy as possible; in an attempt to remodel the technology, society and the world around me.

That is what being a World-Class Engineering student means to me. Living my life by my

definition of Engineering to make the world a better place through the conditions Ive placed

myself in for optimum results while following the key strategies needed to succeed in

Engineering.

So even though most of the engineering education is primarily on designing products;

they also design processes. Following my goals to graduation and beyond, along with preparing

myself for any obstacle that comes my way, and maintaining myself until I reach such goals. I

have design my process to becoming a World-Class Engineering Student.

Citation

Landis, R. B. (1995). Studying engineering: A road map to a rewarding career. Discovery Press

(Los Angeles, CA).