Students chip in as Academic Path Peers

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MSE and WE Path Peers
Top row, from left: Sammie Binion, Taylor Dittrich, Ann Graff, and Emily LaPolla. Bottom row, from left: Benjamin Novotny, Grant Slagle, and Susanna Tanck.

Seven students from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering are helping fellow students navigate life at Ohio State through the College of Engineering’s Academic Path Peers program.

Sammie Binion, a materials science and engineering major from Columbus, recommends that students “keep yourself grounded but be open to trying new things because you will never really know your boundaries for yourself if you don't push them to the limit.”

Taylor Dittrich, a materials science and engineering major from Kirtland, Ohio, notes that “making friends within your engineering classes gives you a large group of resources to use later on at [Ohio State], not to mention a group of people that understand your experiences.”

Ann Graff, a materials science and engineering major from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, found her path in an early survey class. “Some of the homework assignments involved researching the average courses and careers that each major lead to, so that helped me narrow down my choices,” she said.

Emily LaPolla, a materials science and engineering major from Brunswick, Ohio, had a tough time narrowing down the list of majors that interested her. “What helped me determine my major was talking to the advisors and students who were in the major,” she said.

Benjamin Novotny, a welding engineering major from North Royalton, Ohio, learned of his major from some fellow students, and recommends you talk with the experts: “The best way to get information on a major is to talk to the program's advisor or a current student,” he said. “Academic advisors can arrange for you to meet faculty, see demos, and arrange tours.”

Grant Slagle, a materials science and engineering major from Dayton, used the process of elimination. “I read descriptions on the [College of Engineering] page about each of the disciplines, then narrowed it down to the three most interesting,” he said.

Susanna Tanck, a materials science and engineering major from Naperville, Ill., tried a few different paths before landing in materials science, and she’s confident in her choice. As her experience indicates, “it's completely okay to have absolutely no idea what engineering major you want to pursue. You have plenty of time to figure that out!”

 

 

 

Category: Students