Solar powered experiences (and cars)

One of the things I love most about Grainger Engineering is the Illini Solar Car Team (I’m the Team President). As a transfer student, I wasn’t able to join a technical project team at my community college. You are only really able to get experience that is useful in a career from technical projects, such as Illini Solar Car. I have found it a lot more satisfying to participate in a RSO where your work has a tangible and positive outcome. Working towards a common engineering goal as a team has been very rewarding, and it has been gratifying to know that the classes I take do actually provide the foundation for solving engineering problems. Another aspect I love about being a part of an RSO as the Illini Solar Car team is the people I work with. Every single one of them is an inspiration for me to do better, not only on the team but also as a student and a person. I have the highest regards for my teammates and I am continually impressed by their hard work, dedication, and problem solving skills. It is only through the dedication of every single one of my teammates that such an ambitious task can be accomplished, and I am grateful to be a part of it.

Through the team I have been able to work directly with manufacturers and professional engineers. This experience has been useful not only to learn about engineering principles, but to also give perspective about how much I still have to learn as an engineer. Working with professional engineers has given me valuable knowledge about communication, as well as navigating through company standards. This know-how will undoubtedly be instrumental to my career as an engineer, providing me with a leg-up compared to those who haven’t worked with companies before.