My freshman year experience started out a bit differently than many USC students. As a black engineering student, I had the amazing opportunity to be a part of a summer bridge program for minority students, called the Viterbi Summer Institute (VSI), which allowed me to live on campus at one of the freshman residence halls, participate in research projects, and enjoy exciting excursions within Los Angeles. This program hosted by the John Brooks Slaughter Center for Engineering and Diversity allowed me to slowly transition into college and navigate the challenges of being a freshman without the pressure. Being a part of VSI significantly helped me prepare for my freshman year and I highly encourage any incoming students of minority to apply.
Despite the lessons I learned and the connections I made in VSI, I still had some lingering anxieties about starting my freshman year. One of my biggest fears was that I wouldn’t find my place at USC. In other words, I wanted to find a place where I felt that I belonged. Throughout high school, I had always been a part of a team whether it was athletics or my high school orchestra and I knew that I wanted the same thing for myself in college.
In my quest to find my place at USC, I began a lengthy process of trial and error with all the student organizations offered on campus. I attended the general and Viterbi involvement fairs, picked up almost every flyer, and scanned every QR code I could find. After joining countless clubs and realizing that each one was not what I was looking for, I began to lose my motivation. Additionally, the combination of the relatively short drive home and my mom’s numerous suggestions for me to come home on the weekends were tempting me to close myself off and stay in my comfort zone. Eventually, I learned to trust the process and my efforts eventually paid off.
As I reflect, I realize that my persistence allowed me to develop new passions and find my communities. During my freshman year, I lived at Parkside International Residential College which happened to have the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) special interest floor. This is where I met my roommate and best friend who happened to be the same major as me. We would bond by doing the same homework assignments and eventually, we hosted study sessions with some of our other classmates. Simply by living on the WiSE special interest floor, I found a community with other mechanical engineering students.
A few months later, I joined USC Racing, a design team at USC made up of mostly engineering students who design, build, and race a Formula 1-style racecar. By working in this design team, I developed a passion for motorsports and USC Racing is now an organization that I’m heavily involved in. Furthermore, I found belonging in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) where I can have fun with my fellow black engineers, volunteer, and attend conferences for professional development.
My freshman experience helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect. It took time, but I eventually found my people. A piece of advice I wish I had given my past self is to trust the process and be open to new experiences.
