Year in Review: 2022
The last year has been very important to me in terms of academics and professional life. It gave me a chance to reflect upon my undergraduate experience thus far and gave me a good idea of what I might specialize in and take on for my career. I got to take some courses that I loved and found interesting at the same time. For instance, I took an OS class which is similar to what I do at my Co-Op. Additionally, I started working at a new company, Volvo Trucks, which focused more on automation and hardware than my previous Co-Op employer which focused on software. Working in different areas gave me a taste of various technologies and their applications.
Looking at some of the projects that I worked on so far at Volvo Trucks, I believe one experience that really helped me grow was working on an automation project. It provided me with an opportunity to work with the hardware side of things. In my previous Co-Op, I only worked on software projects. Being a computer engineer, software is only one aspect of the major, and working on hardware helped me close that gap. Following this, Volvo extended the internship offer for me for the summer so that I can work with the same team, thus continuing to work on the same automation projects. More importantly, the continuation of the internship allowed me to see these projects getting integrated with the main team projects, thus offering me a sense of personal accomplishment.
Outside my classes and Co-Ops, I got a chance to volunteer for one of the biggest language exchange programs, the ENGin Program, which connects Ukrainian kids with English speakers to help them improve their English. Volunteering is a great way to serve a community of people and help people in need. Currently, I’m connected to Denys and Halia, two college students from Ukraine who want to improve their English as well as coding skills. This program has not only given me a chance to give back to the community but also taught me a lesson that everyone has their own story. It is important to respect, appreciate and take time to understand the stories of everyone. People in Ukraine, especially students, are going through a lot due to the ongoing war with Russia. I made it my goal to help the two students learn English and coding in a fun, caring, and interactive way. My need to volunteer is constantly bolstered by the inspiration I get on the daily from these students who choose to learn in the face of an ongoing war that has devastated much of the peace of Ukraine. Furthermore, this has helped me to appreciate how safe I am in my room writing this prompt and all the opportunities I have right now that I would not have had if I was in a war zone. It has made me realize how we can take things for granted and how small moments in life matter.
Moving into my senior year this Fall, my only goal is to make the most out of my college experience at UC in terms of academics. I will be doing a minor in Robotics and Automation, which is similar to the work I do at Volvo Trucks. I plan to do my senior design project with the Formula SAE team at UC by working on an electric car. By participating in these experiences, I intend to get a headstart and a segue into my post-collegiate, professional life.