Electrical & Computer Engineering – Cornell Engineering: A Virtual Visit

Meet Francis

Major: electrical and computer engineering
Hometown: Forest Hills, NY

Francis aspires to be a professional digital photographer someday and would live in Amsterdam for the rest of his life, if he had the choice.

He wants the world to know that people might say that your path is defined for you, but it’s not their life. It’s yours, and you have the power to define and achieve your own success.

Francis wants prospective students to know that taking risks is the only way to tap into your true potential.

After Cornell Engineering, Francis plans to delve into the world of product management and hopefully go to graduate school to pursue a Masters after a few years in the tech industry.

My wish for future engineering students is that they will figure out the world’s most crucial problems and use their gift of a Cornell education to tackle those first. They should be excited, rather than intimidated, when confronted with the most challenging problems.

Francis wants to live in a world where engineers will be the shapers of society. From the products they create to the problems they solve to the ideas they generate, engineers will leave a lasting impact on the world well beyond their years.

Meet Myles

Major: electrical and computer engineering
Hometown: Syracuse, NY

Why did you choose Cornell Engineering?
I chose Cornell because I knew that the engineering program is great and it is not too far away from my home. I also knew that Cornell would have a bunch of resources to help me in my collegiate career.

What is your favorite thing about Cornell Engineering?
My favorite thing about Cornell Engineering is all the different types of people there are here. Beyond an interest in engineering everybody is their own person with differing interests.

What do you do outside of the classroom?
I’m involved in a few clubs outside of the classroom. I am currently the Treasure of Cornell’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and I’m a member of Underrepresented Minorities in Computing (URMC) and Scholars Working Ambitiously to Graduate (S.W.A.G). I also work at the Engineering Career Center as a peer advisor and as an undergraduate coordinator for the CU Empower mentorship program.

Meet Alec

Major: electrical & computer engineering

Alec came to Cornell with an interest in building a more sustainable transportation infrastructure. “What brought me to engineering in the first place was based in sustainability,” he said, “and it was a focus on renewable energy that brought me to electrical engineering.”

Alec grew up in an Air Force family, living in several different states while his parents were transferred from post to post. They spent a lot of time on the road and by the time he started his undergraduate studies at the University of New Mexico, transportation issues had caught his attention.

“Even in Albuquerque,” he said, “I was spending over an hour a day on the road, sometimes an hour one way. And as a student, and someone who was also working a job at that time, those were precious hours that I was losing—those were hours that I wasn’t studying.”

Transferring to Cornell in the Fall of 2019, Alec found that Cornell Engineering provided a unique way to get to work on this problem when he discovered a project team dedicated to reimagining transportation, Cornell Hyperloop.

“A whole new means of transportation like the Hyperloop—that was immediately interesting to me,” Alec said. “I saw it as an opportunity to step into the world of designing new sustainable transportation systems.”

Joining Cornell Hyperloop brought Alec to the Emerson Manufacturing Lab in the basement of Upson Hall, a sprawling facility of tools, parts, and electronics where project teams set up shop.

“I very quickly realized that this was a really special part of the engineering education here. It was unlike anything I had seen at my previous school or anywhere else,” Alec said, “Project teams allow you to go beyond the classroom, actually put your skills to practical use, and learn how to do things a lot more like what you’re going to be doing at a job someday.”

Meet Alisha K

Major: electrical & computer engineering
Hometown: Jericho, NY

Why you choose Cornell Engineering?
I chose Cornell University because of their beautiful campus abundant with its own waterfalls and greenery. I chose Cornell Engineering because of their emphasis on diversity and the vigorous student body.

What is your favorite thing about Cornell Engineering?
My favorite thing about Cornell Engineering is that you can truly discover your niche. The culture is rich in diversity and exploration

What do you do outside of the classroom?
The best way to get involved with campus activities is to try anything and everything that interests you. And don’t be afraid to go to club meetings you may not be interested in either — you never know what will resonate with you!

Meet Gregory

Major: electrical and computer engineering
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Why did you choose Cornell Engineering?
The fun, challenging, and scenic atmosphere of Cornell was really attractive! The classes were engaging and there were so many interesting extracurricular activities that I instantly knew I wanted to go to Cornell.

What is your favorite thing about Cornell Engineering?
The range of clubs, activities, and research you can participate is so vast it’s like a buffet! You can’t enjoy everything but you can participate in a few things that fit your “palate”.

What do you do outside of the classroom?
I am an Academic Excellence Workshop Facilitator for Math 1910/1920. I also serve on the Academic Team for the IEEE Cornell E-Board, where I work with other members to plan student workshops involving practical skills like soldering.

Meet Sam

Major: electrical and computer engineering
Hometown: Palo Alto, CA

Why you choose Cornell Engineering?
Cornell allows me to take an assortment of classes outside of my major and college, giving me an opportunity to explore. I have taken or am planning on taking courses covering culinary arts, world politics, and nuclear engineering.

What is your favorite thing about Cornell Engineering?
I appreciate the sense of community that is built between the students of the college.

What do you do outside of the classroom?
I am a member of the mix sub team of the Cornell Concrete Canoe project team. As a part of that sub team, I work on creating and testing new concrete mixes for use on the final boat used in competition.

Meet Fareeza

Major: electrical & computer engineering
Hometown: New York, NY

Why you choose Cornell Engineering?
Cornell Engineering offers a lot of hands-on classes and the opportunity to immerse in research. The engineering community is also quite diverse and everyone is very friendly!

What is your favorite thing about Cornell Engineering?
I’ve had some great professors and just being able to interact with such successful individuals who are also down-to-earth has been very rewarding.

What do you do outside of the classroom?
I have participated in research and project teams in the past. Currently, I am the president of a cultural club at Cornell. There are lots of opportunities here.

Meet Sydney

Major: electrical & computer engineering
Hometown: Park City, UT

Why you choose Cornell Engineering?
I loved the students at Cornell and the Cornell Engineering structure

What is your favorite thing about Cornell Engineering?
I love that you don’t have to pick a major right away – it gives you more time to explore areas you may not have known about before.

What do you do outside of the classroom?
I am a climbing instructor for Cornell Outdoor Education’s Beginning Rock Climbing class. I’m also a staff writer for the Cornell Daily Sun science section, and work as an undergraduate researcher.