In a previous blog post (which you can check out here), I had the opportunity to spotlight a student majoring in Astronautical Engineering and share her experiences navigating a unique and specialized field. It was exciting to learn how different engineering disciplines shape student experiences at USC—and I wanted to continue that journey by exploring yet another path: Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE).
Industrial and Systems Engineering describes itself as such: “[It is a study that] provides the skills and foundations to design, analyze, and optimize complex systems.” In other words, ISE plays a crucial role in solving real-world problems by improving efficiency, processes, and decision-making across industries. To learn more about the student experience within ISE, I spoke with Julian Patino, an ISE sophomore who gave some great insight into what makes the major so valuable and what it’s like to be an ISE student at USC.
To briefly give a background on Julian, better known as Juju, he is an extremely driven and talented friend of mine. Meeting him through the same program I met Autumn (the ASTE student I wrote about), I’ve had the privilege to know him and watch him grow into his role at USC over the past two years. In this interview, we touched on his motivation for studying ISE, his post-grad plans, and his other commitments throughout USC.
Q: Why did you pick Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) and Why USC specifically?
A: “Although I had no idea what engineering was, I still wanted to pursue it because I loved math. I wasn’t as interested in the physics aspect and wanted a more business oriented route. I had asked around and was told that if I wanted the perfect blend of engineering and business, I should pursue ISE.
I had lived in Miami all my life and my choices for college were either UF or USC. Although UF was paying me to go, I wanted to take the privilege of opportunity in moving across the country and gaining that unique experience. As a first generation student alone in the US, I wanted to push myself to be uncomfortable in situations where no one in my family has gone before, and I can say that it’s paid off.”
Q: What do you hope to do after college?
A: “I hope to go into the technology consulting industry. I want to explore the more social aspects of engineering and this industry fits those shoes. However, I do want to pursue higher education by applying to deferred MBA programs outside USC.”
Q: What clubs are you involved in and how has involvement elevated/supplemented your experience at USC?
A: “Here at SC, I’ve joined both professional and athletic aspects of the college experience. Being involved in Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) for 2 years now as the active Treasurer and the soon Vice President, I’ve been able to tap into communities that have uplifted my experience as an engineering student. Not only have these people mentored me to push myself further in STEM but they have also supplied me with a community full of others who share similar backgrounds, cultures, and dreams. Outside of academics, I serve as the Vice President of Trojan Barbell Club, where it’s given me the space to put my passions into powerlifting and weightlifting. The community we’ve fostered serves as a safe environment for driven people in academia to push their limits into becoming stronger physically and mentally. The coaching and lessons I’ve picked up from the club have exponentially grown my lifting career to higher stakes and dreams, as well as keeping me mentally sane from engineering.”
Juju, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share a brief part of your journey in ISE. I look forward to watching you continue to push yourself and seeing you succeed!
