Why did you choose to study at Illinois?

I was stuck between a few different schools when I was first deciding. Namely Embry Riddle Daytona Beach, Purdue and U. of I. which all have really good aero programs, but I liked the idea of still being close to home so that was a big benefit of Illinois. I also heard a lot of good things about the university from one of my favorite high school teachers and I really enjoyed the campus layout when I toured so ultimately I decided to come here.

Why aerospace engineering?

I always loved the process of designing and building things from a young age, but planes always fascinated me. Going to airshows with my family growing up was always a blast and flying on planes I would always sit on the wing to watch how things worked.

I also took engineering courses in high school and really enjoyed the classes, so I knew I was picking some sort of engineering program. From there it was just picking the discipline, so I decided on aerospace engineering.

What courses/professors helped you most academically?

Professor Merret has definitely been the most influential professor for me here at Illinois. Working with him as an advisor with Design Build Fly and now with him as a professor for senior design, he’s always been there to provide guidance and never gives up on his students.

He’s always pushed me out of my comfort zone at times when I probably needed the extra nudge because he knows the capabilities of his students. Plus he’s always willing to share his personal experiences to help give advice on ways to approach anything and everything. I swear that man is like a computer of knowledge.

 What projects helped you gain technical expertise?

The design projects at DBF have definitely been the major projects where I’ve learned the most hands on technical expertise. Working through the full manufacturing process with a team, from CAD design to actually building the physical model has definitely taught me how to adapt and work through unseen issues that arise through the process.

I learned how well I can work on minimal sleep too through the multiple weeks straight of late nights staying in OPEL till 4:00 am. some nights to finish the competition plane while still attending classes + completing assignments throughout the week.

Working as the build lead also taught me the best way to lead a subteam for a project and teach new members different skills that I’ve picked up on throughout my time with DBF.

What are you particularly proud of?

Honestly the number of friends I’ve made along with being able to balance clubs, classes, and still having a college life. The number of people I’ve met outside of aerospace whether it was from the dorms freshman year, classes, or just going out around campus was far greater than I expected coming into college.

Plus, I’ve of course made a lot of close friends within our department (shoutout Justin) which I’m proud of because they’ve helped make the time I spend here enjoyable.

Did you have any internships?

I worked for Gary Jet Center working under their Flight Operations Department in Gary, Indiana. I learned the process of chartering and managing a fleet of private jets, where I got to see the business side of the aircraft industry. It was a really cool perspective to see because through our program we focus on the design and fundamentals behind how the aircraft work but there I got to see how they’re used and how the business sector operates.

I also got to see a bit of the maintenance process as Gary Jet has their own maintenance facility where they work on private jets and helicopters like the Chicago PD fleet. They were also the home base for the Chicago airshow, so I got to see all the aircraft that participated takeoff/ land and got to see them parked outside the office for a week straight.

What extracurricular experience stands out as memorable for you?

The most recent DBF competition in Tucson is definitely a memorable week for me. It was one of the most successful competitions for U. of I. in over a decade and seeing all of the teams hard work being executed just how we planned was really satisfying.

Of course, I’ll also remember the constant 99 degree heat and the dust devils that tried to rip our tent away, but it was still a really fun experience to be apart of.

How did you decide what to do after you graduate?

I was initially planning to do the MEng program but then after a conversation with Professor Ansell and Professor Merret I decided to switch to a master's degree with thesis. I never did any research during my four years here on campus so I was really hesitant to do a masters thesis but they never doubted my ability which definitely had an influence on my decision. The opportunity of a full tuition waiver along with a stipend is also one that I thought I couldn’t pass up so I decided to accept the offer.

 Do you have any other career goals?

I’ve always wanted to go into industry to work on some aerospace manufacturing engineering team either for the Defense industry or for the business jet industry. Obviously working for Lockheed someday would be really cool.

What's on your bucket list for the next five years?

I definitely want to travel parts of Europe sometime before my full time job.