What advice do you have for incoming and current students?
Firstly, you are here for a reason! Never doubt yourself or your abilities. Coming into the Cockrell School, I was incredibly nervous. When you are surrounded by a group of intelligent, high-achieving people, it is easy to have some form of imposter syndrome. I was worried that engineering would be a cutthroat environment, yet nothing could be further from the truth. The Cockrell faculty and your peers are among the most supportive, compassionate people you will ever have the pleasure to spend time with and learn from.
An important piece of advice I received as a freshman was to explore as much as possible. It’s easy to fall into the trap of a checklist approach, only doing what you think will get you from point A to point B. Instead, make the most of the opportunity to investigate what you would truly like to learn more about. There are so many opportunities at UT to pursue different interests, identities and ideas. Even if you decide an activity or pathway isn’t right for you, you will learn something valuable in the process of giving it a chance.