Knights of St. Patrick honoree says talking about insecurity breeds culture of inclusion

Although the Knights of St. Patrick have a reputation on campus for green pop-up shenanigans, the students who are selected each year are much more than just fun-loving. They are chosen as Knights for their outstanding leadership, excellence in character, and exceptional contribution to The Grainger College of Engineering and its students. This year, aerospace engineering senior Erika Jarosch is one of nine honorees.

For part of the selection process, Jarosch wrote essay responses to a number of prompts. One of her essays addressed the question:  What legacy will you leave at The Grainger College of Engineering and how do you plan to continue to influence Illinois?

Jarosch wrote, “Looking back on my entire college experience, I am most proud of adapting the culture and student experience of the Illinois Space Society as director during the 2020-2021 school year. Throughout my tenure as director, I championed the phrase ‘anyone can learn,’ and challenged technical teams to disseminate tasks and information better than in previous years, and to include everyone in the engineering process. My focus was largely on decreasing the sense of impostor syndrome common among engineering students, particularly for the minority students.”

She said that year, ISS recruited the highest number of new members ever seen, particularly outside the field of aerospace. The organization’s Women in Technical Projects event contributed to an increase in gender minority representation from 21 percent to 30 percent of the demographic, with a majority of the sub-team leadership positions going to students in their first and second years. Members reported feeling more welcomed, more included, and less overwhelmed by the technical concepts.

“As I look at the club this year, I see those same values continuing to persevere,” she said. “Every executive board member is dedicated to a mission of inclusion, and I see them mirroring that rhetoric of ‘belonging’ in everything they organize. The entire experience has affirmed for me that success follows failure, and that perseverance paired with a growth mindset can turn any negative situation into a positive.”

As director, Jarosch realized her position to be a role model to her younger peers. She found herself frequently reflecting on what she wished she had known as a younger student. Because of that, she decided to talk openly about struggling in school, internships, and on technical projects.

“I talked about my own feelings of insecurity, which a lot of students were shocked to learn,” she said. “I know it was the first time a lot of students in the aerospace community were hearing someone discuss the difficulty of the experience. I know these open conversations were not happening when I was a freshman. I have seen this society and the culture of our department grow so much throughout the years, and I know that it will continue to improve. I am dedicated to high school and college students understanding their worth, even when they feel lost or hesitant. In the future, I know I will continue having these conversations with students as an alumna who faced all of the same difficulties. I hope to find success and help inspire these students to remain perseverant.”