As you may know, choosing a major to study for the next four years is a particularly difficult decision. Essentially, you are selecting a field of study that you have limited knowledge of and will not know whether you enjoy it or not until you are studying it. You might as well be taking a shot in the dark, which is exactly what I did.
When I was deciding on what to choose as my major, I had no clue what I wanted to do. I ended up putting my top 5 choices on a color wheel and it somehow landed on engineering. At that moment, I settled on mechanical engineering because it was the most familiar to me. Although my major selection process was a bit unconventional, it worked out perfectly. Throughout my time at USC, I have learned a great deal about my major and developed a deep fascination with the realm of mechanical engineering.
MechE at a Glance
The best way to define mechanical engineering (MechE) is through the use of an example. Imagine you are sitting on a chair. Many physics principles come into play that allow you to sit on the chair without it breaking, such as the distribution of forces, the maximum allowed weight before the chair breaks, and the location of the chair’s breaking point. A mechanical engineer would use principles such as these to design, manufacture, and test new solutions for a variety of issues. So in addition to building structurally sound chairs, mechanical engineers can design the structural components and inner workings of moving parts for airplanes, cars, buildings, and other complex devices. A strong understanding of these principles allows engineers to create safe and functional devices for society.
MechE Student Life
Student life as a MechE is very collaborative and it is easy to form community ties. Although there are many students within this major, the world of MechEs feels small because you will get to know a significant portion of these students through group projects, labs, and student design teams. I have met most of my friends here by having multiple classes together and I was able to build new relationships by getting to know the students within these organizations.
Career Opportunities
Since MechE is one of the broader engineering disciplines, the possible career pathways after college are endless. There are job opportunities for mechanical engineers in, but not limited to, the following industries: energy, automation/robotics, automotive, aerospace, astronautics, defense, and manufacturing. Also, deciding which industry to go into will be much easier since Viterbi has a variety of design teams and student organizations where you can obtain hands-on experience and learn more about each industry. Furthermore, you will be able to gain insight into future career options through summer internships. Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to work as a Quality Engineer Intern at Collins Aerospace where I headed several projects to improve the production process of Airbus airplane parts.
Overall, my journey into mechanical engineering at USC began with much uncertainty, but I have found excitement in the realm of mechanical engineering. I have learned much about what it means to be an engineer through my group projects, my involvement in the USC Racing design team, and my summer internship. In the future, I hope to continue my exploration into my major by taking on new roles and responsibilities in my current involvements.
For those who are in the first steps of their journey as an engineering student, I encourage you to embrace your curiosity and let it guide you to the right path for you!
