What is your major and why did you choose your area of study?

In the School of Engineering and Applied Science, I am an Engineering Management major with an environmental focus.  My minor is in Supply Chain Management in the Richard T. Farmer School of Business.  I believe the fastest and most beneficial environmental impacts can be made in the business world.   One major company can do more to protect or endanger the environment than hundreds or thousands of individuals, and I want to make sure companies keep the plant in mind when making decisions.  For that reason, I chose the engineering management degree because I think it gives students the technical know-how to understand and make significant changes in polluting processes while understanding the business repercussions. The ability to merge engineering with business can solve a lot of problems.  I am also pursuing the Supply Chain Management minor because it is a growing area of focus for many companies and it holds a lot of potential for pollution prevention and reduction.

What are some of the independent research or projects that you have worked on?

• As a course extension, for my Introduction to Environmental Engineering class, I worked on the Miami Heritage Technology Park Project.  I researched renewable energy solutions for an office park that was to be designed in Oxford and obtain LEED Platinum certification.  I presented this research and the outcomes of the design project at the Undergraduate Research Forum.
• For another course extension for my Statics and Mechanics class, I worked with Dr. Coffin, professor of paper and chemical engineering, to create my own experiments to test the static and kinetic friction of wet paper towels rubbing on carpet.
• I worked on designing and building the Remote Controlled Easel with ASME for a handicapped art student.I did independent research and helped create a presentation on the Scholar-Leader community at Miami, which I gave at a national conference in Washington, D.C. We presented the theories and ideas on which the residence hall model for the community was based at the American College Personnel Association annual conference.

Have you done any traveling for coursework or just for fun?

 

Two years ago I went to Dominca (a small Caribbean island, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic) to take a course on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development over spring break.  I spent two weeks on the island touring organic pineapple farms, eco-lodges, and interacting with the local community during home stays.  This is also when I decided to grow dreadlocks.  This past summer I took a class in Costa Rica called Neo-Tropical Ecology.  I got to spend three weeks in Costa Rica wandering through rain forests and studying the local biodiversity.  I also got to see an active volcano, go zip lining hundreds of feet above the canopy, and see/touch monkeys, snakes, giant bugs, and iguanas.   I then went to London to visit my roommate who was working there for the summer.  I hung out with him for ten days and saw almost all there is to see in London.  We also had time to make a trip to Oxford, England just for fun.

How have you spent your summers?

Well as you may have noticed I spent most of last summer traveling.  In addition to London and Costa Rica, I spent some time in Chicago, Wichita, Columbus, and Oxford (OH).  Two summers ago I had an internship with Sigma-Aldrich, a chemical supply company based in St. Louis.  I worked primarily with the director of sustainability on sustainability stuff.  I completed the CDP6, worked on process improvement projects, and helped develop a utility consumption database.  Additionally, I helped edit and contributed to company’s first Sustainability Report.

What are some of your co-curricular activities?

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers:  I don’t really even remember why I joined a mechanical engineering club in the first place, but somehow, I am now president.  We work on a lot of design projects and competitions in addition to hosting a number of social and professional events throughout the year.  I tend to shy away from the technical, mechanical requirements, but I have defiantly learned a lot that I would not have learned in a classroom.  It also takes a lot of organizational and communication skills to run a large club.
• Scholar-Leader Community:  I lived in the scholar-leader living learning community for two years.  We live in special residence halls on campus and basically form our own tight-knit community that organizes events and activities on campus.  Likewise we took a trip over winter break each year to learn about a different area and do service work in that community.  It was a great experience and it really helped develop my leadership skills through planning, workshops, and living among other outgoing students.
• Honors Program:  The honors program has helped me structure my academic experience and helped me expand my learning beyond the classroom.
• Lacrosse Club:  I played lacrosse in high school and I am still very active in that organization over the summer.  At Miami, I didn’t have time to practice and play on a regular basis, so I volunteer as a team manager with the Miami Men’s Club Lacrosse Team.  I help set up the field, run the table at games, and score keep for the referees during the games.
• I also worked as a student assistant in the SEAS Dean’s Office.

Why did you choose to come to Miami?

I was planning a trip to Cincinnati to tour Xavier University when my guidance counselor suggested that I visit Miami while I was in the area. I didn’t know too much about Miami, so I arrived in Oxford with very few preconceived notions about the school. My dad and I arrived in Oxford on a beautiful evening in November and started exploring the campus on our own. We were both amazed with the campus and I fell in love with it right away.
I didn’t really decide what I wanted to do until after I had sent in all my applications for college.  However, once I decided to study environmental engineering, Miami became the oblivious choice.  The university was building a brand new engineering building and Miami was the only school that I applied to that had the Engineering Management major, so I was sold right away.

Have you received any scholarships or awards while a student at Miami?

I’ve been very fortunate to have received the following scholarships and awards:

• Provost Student Academic Achievement Award
• Miami University Honors Program
• Miami University Scholar Leader Program
• Raymond E. Glos Scholarship
• Robert C. Byrd Scholarship

What is your hometown?

I am from St. Louis, Missouri and I am a big St. Louis Cardinal Fan.  I was pleasantly surprised by the number of kids from my hometown at Miami.

What are your future plans?

I plan on graduating this May and getting a job. I would like to work for a major manufacturing or industrial company in the sustainable business development unit.  I would like to focus on pollution prevention and creating a more environmentally friendly company.