Student Spotlight:
Alyssa Hovenkotter

What makes Washington State University stand out from the crowd for many of those looking to get an engineering degree?

We ask senior mechanical engineering major Alyssa Hovenkotter for her thoughts on what experiences has had the biggest impact for her during her time Washington State University.

What did you do last summer?

I interned with Microsoft’s New Product Introduction (NPI) Design for Excellence (DFX) Team.

The DFX team’s saying is “From One, to Many,” which relates to implementing manufacturing processes that allow a product to be produced in mass quantities (going from creating one product, to producing thousands or more).

My team specifically focused on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and Flexible Printed Circuits (FPCs). While my intern project is confidential, I can say that it was a project designed to solve a real problem Microsoft was experiencing, and my project had a real impact on the company. In fact, I had the opportunity to share my project results with the Chief Product Officer of Windows + Devices at Microsoft!

What did you learn during your Microsoft internship?

I learned so much, I don’t know if I can put it all in words!

I was able to learn about FPCs and PCBs, as well as different manufacturing processes used in production. I also learned how to use new CAD software, and PCB designer software.

Some of my favorite parts of my internship included getting to learn about topics I didn’t learn in school, as well as getting to practice what I had learned in school on real-world problems.

What I enjoyed the most was the experience Microsoft creates for its interns. All of the interns I met were really amazing people, and I made some great friends during this time. Every week, opportunities were available for me to learn about different teams within Microsoft and meet employees and learn about their roles and experiences within the company.

Some of the most important skills I came away from this internship were how to communicate in a professional manner, as well as how to communicate my thoughts and present my project results to many different audiences.

But mainly, I learned to never stop asking questions!

What made you decide to attend WSU?

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.

What have been your things you’ve been involved with at WSU?

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.

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!