“Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life… but poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for” — John Keating, Dead Poets Society (1989)
One of my favorite high school memories is watching this movie in AP Biology after completing our AP exam. Little did I know, but this quote would soon mold my experience here at USC pursuing my love for music and the humanities alongside my engineering education. Since my first semester of college, I’ve been an orchestral violist with the student symphony orchestra (SSO). From Tchaikovsky to Gershwin, Symphony No. 6 to West Side Story, I’ve been fortunate enough to play some of my favorite pieces from my favorite composers, with one of my favorite organizations here on campus.
At Viterbi, I feel supported to be more than just an engineering student with its strong emphasis on Engineering+. Coming into college, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in medicine and engineering, but I couldn’t quite say bye to my love for music just yet. I’ve been playing the piano since I was four and the viola since I was twelve, so I’ve had quite a long history with music. While I wasn’t able to fit a musical studies minor alongside my minor Healthcare Studies and progressive Master’s in Health Systems Management Engineering, I’ve been able to continue my dedication to the arts with SSO. Every Sunday, we rehearse for around 2 hours as a group, preparing pieces for our end of semester concerts. This has truly been the highlight of my week and a great way for me to destress after a stressful week of engineering and science classes.
In my coursework and research, I’ve also found overlap with sound and music. I’m currently an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Jesse Yen’s ultrasound imaging laboratory where I assist on projects finding a safer diagnostic technique for a pediatric urinary disorder and building novel ultrasound imaging transducers. My past two years in this lab have been incredibly fascinating seeing how something as simple as sound can be used to find innovative solutions altering patient outcomes for the better.
All in all, find something that excites you here at USC! Remember, you’re never just an engineer— there are so many things out there to explore and discover, so take advantage of it!
