Alex Yogiaveetil

What made you decide to enroll at the University of Maryland?
There were a couple factors that made me decide to enroll at the University of Maryland. First, it is not too far away from my home. Second, I am an engineering major and the University of Maryland's engineering program is one of the best in the nation. UMD is also a large university, which I preferred over a small one.

What major/career path do you plan on pursuing and how did you select that path?
I plan on pursuing a career path in engineering. I became interested in this field after I joined the Project Lead The Way engineering program at my high school. We used the design process and software such as CAD to solve real life problems. This seemed very interesting and fun to me, so I decided to pursue it in the future.

Activities I do outside of class or community service/volunteer activities I'm involved with:
During my time at high school, I have been on the swim team and played rugby. I have also been a part of various clubs, such as Cavs Science Club, Chess Club and Investing Club. During the summer, I work as a lifeguard at one of my local swimming pools. Additionally, I have participated in many volunteer activities, such as helping out at a soup kitchen and being a swim instructor.

Aside from academics, what else do you hope to take away from your time at Maryland?
Aside from academics, I hope to come away with a great college experience from my time at Maryland. Since it is such a large school with a huge student body, it should not be difficult to find other people with similar interests. In addition to that, it also allows you to try new things and have new experiences.

What are your future goals after graduation?
After I graduate, I hope to work as an engineer. There are a few places that I would want to work at. For example, I would like to design and build aircraft and equipment for the military. I would also like to design and test rockets for agencies and companies such as NASA or SpaceX.