Hi! My name is Merja Haatanen, and I am a sophomore studying mechanical engineering. I was born in the Netherlands and lived across the country until my family settled down in Olympia, Washington. I ultimately decided to pursue mechanical engineering because I wanted to solve real world problems. It is a discipline that is applicable to many aspects of life and is fascinating to learn about. Although my engineering interests are still quite broad, I am excited to explore different industries through internships and Viterbi’s opportunities to better understand the path I want to pursue. The beauty of mechanical engineering lies in its scope over a wide range of industries and engineering specialties. As a mechanical engineering student here, I have been able to explore my interests and truly understand what it means to be a Trojan.
I chose USC because I loved the energy exuded by everyone on campus. When I visited the school, I could tell that students genuinely enjoyed being on campus and attending classes. Southern California’s pristine weather and USC’s beautiful campus made it even more difficult to resist. The deal-breaker, however, was the small class size of mechanical engineers of which I would be a part. This smaller group of mechanical engineering students creates a close cohort of engineers who uplift each other and a greater opportunity to form meaningful relationships with my professors, especially those in engineering disciplines. My smallest classes have always been my AME (Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering) classes.
After completing 1.5 years here, I have fallen in love with the atmosphere and institution. I am challenged in my classes but can easily seek help from Viterbi resources or peers. I am still able to enjoy my hobbies like making collages, going to the gym, and playing volleyball on my free time. Greek Life is incredibly active here as well, throwing parties every weekend. I enjoy going out to destress from a busy week and use the weekend to reset before tackling a difficult workload. Overall, USC has offered me an opportunity to follow my passions as an engineer while still enjoying what college has to offer.
