What makes Washington State University stand out from the crowd for many of those looking to get an engineering degree? It starts with a supportive community.
We ask senior mechanical engineering major Alyssa Hovenkotter for her thoughts on what makes WSU Pullman such a special place.
Name: Alyssa Hovenkotter
Major: Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics minor
Expected Date of Graduation: December 2021
High School / Community College: West Valley High School, Yakima / Yakima Valley College
Activities: Society of Women Engineers, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, Cougs in Space Club
VCEA Student Ambassador, MLC Math Tutor, Voiland Peer Network Program
Q: What made you decide to attend WSU?
A: It was the feeling I felt every time I visited campus. Whether it was for a Cougar football game when I was in high school, or for orientation, I could always tell how much each WSU student loved their school.
The Experience WSU orientation day is what sealed the deal for me. I could tell all the WSU students I met on that day were just like me; not only were they outgoing, but their education was very important to them. The engineering students I met that day inspired me with how passionate they were about their major and their school.
This is also the reason I chose mechanical engineering as my major. My first semester, I studied chemical engineering, and while I enjoyed my classes, I realized the potential career paths were not something I was passionate about. I remember talking with a friend that first semester about astronauts and aerospace engineering, and that is when I realized I wanted to study mechanical engineering so I could work in the aerospace field. After changing my major, I began to realize that there are so many possible fields someone can work in with a mechanical engineering degree, and I’m so thankful I chose to study mechanical engineering now.
I would recommend WSU to anyone who is thinking about pursuing a higher education because not only does WSU offer an exceptional education, but the “Cougs help Cougs” saying is true – Cougs really do help Cougs. It is through my connections at WSU and events held on campus that I have landed two internships and gained valuable hands-on experience related to my major. Being an engineering student at WSU has been especially rewarding because while the courses can be challenging, my classmates have become some of my best friends, as we have bonded through our classes and extracurricular activities.
Q: What have you learned that will help you most in your future?
A: I think the single most important thing I have learned during my time at WSU that will help most in my future is this: Always ask questions. I would be lying if I said I never felt out of place in class, a club, or an internship. My first two semesters studying engineering, I had a really hard time feeling like I was in the right place, and I was always scared I was going to ask a “dumb” question. It wasn’t until I started making friends in my classes that I realized almost everyone had the same questions I did.
Once I started asking more questions in my classes, I created better relationships with my professors, and I started to feel like I truly belonged in the mechanical engineering department. This is something I took with me to my internship last summer – it was a manufacturing engineering internship, and I did not know a lot about manufacturing. I struggled in the first few days of the internship, but once I started asking questions, I never stopped, and I ended up learning so much about the world of manufacturing engineering.
Q: What have been your things you’ve been involved with at WSU?
A: My favorite classes at WSU so far have been ME 348 – Dynamic Systems and ME 116 and 216 – Engineering Computer-Aided Design and Visualization. I enjoyed Dynamic Systems because it is really interesting to me to see past subjects relate together and be used together to solve complex problems. My other favorite classes, ME 116 and 216, have been really fun courses for me because I love creating parts in SolidWorks and running simulations on them. Also, SolidWorks was something I used quite a lot at my past internship, so I know what I learned in those courses is something I will use in my career after I graduate.
My favorite clubs at WSU have been the Society of Women Engineers and Cougs in Space because through both of these clubs, I have met many students who are also in my classes who are great friends of mine now!