TheProblem Solver

What's the favorite class you've taken at WVU? Why? IENG 305 (Introduction to Systems Engineering). This class really opened my eyes to a world of techniques that can utilized to enhance how a team goes about solving a problem or completing a task. The final project of the class was to, design, build, and launch a weather balloon into space to capture a picture of the curvature of the Earth.

Who was your favorite professor? Picking just one is difficult. Easily my top three in no particular order are Avinash “Avi” Unnikrishnan, Jack Byrd, and Mike Carr. All three of these professors have an engaging teaching style which makes learning from them an absolute rush. They strive to prove how other disciplines or theories relate to the information they teach all along while deeply caring about their students continuously supporting them far beyond the walls of their classroom.

What’s the most challenging course you took? Chemistry 115 and 116. 

What class did you learn the most from? IENG 431 (Expert Systems in Industrial Engineering). I use the skills and information from this class more than any other in my current career.

Why is WVU special to you?

WVU has so many opportunities for people to explore and excel in their dreams. I have never before been a part of a community.

What's your most memorable moment at WVU? Organizing a student wide sit-in to change the old residence hall visitation policy. It was the first time I had ever experienced an overwhelming amount of support for an idea that I originally thought was unique to just me. Yet it had a more significant impact because it proved to me how easy it was to change an unpopular situation when people speak up. 

What is WVU's hidden gem nobody knows about? Going up into the Woodburn Clock Tower. Inside the tower you feel an immense sense of tradition and pride seeing all of the names of students’ signatures from decades ago. Most importantly any student can schedule a trip to go inside and sign their name, it is not an experience reserved only for a select few.

What advice would you give to a student thinking of coming to WVU? Jump in head first! Regardless of where your passion lies, there is an opportunity to explore and expand it at WVU. While some opportunities may not be obvious at first, if a person is willing to put in a bit of effort the prospects and rewards at this University stretch as far a person’s own passion.

When I was on campus, you could have most likely found me in the Student Government office.

When you come to visit campus, you must visit the Core Arboretum, especially around mid-April.

Where do you do your best studying? Second floor of the Evansdale Library.

What advice would you give for surviving finals? Don’t just take notes in class, periodically create study guides from your notes to use when finals come around. Stock up on energy drinks. Reach out to upperclassmen early in the semester to get a better sense of a professor’s testing style to help eliminate nervous surprises.

What's your proudest accomplishment while at WVU? Watching solutions and to various problems that I suggested be implemented and help people around the University.

Has WVU had an impact on your passion? How? Throughout my time at WVU, I have learned to approach things from more of a multi-disciplinary approach which has greatly expanded my passion from previously fractioned individual areas into an ever expanding desire to learn and connect ideas which traditionally have no business working together. 

If you could do one thing differently in your time at WVU, what would it be? I would have liked to have tried being either a Resident Assistant or a Tour Guide.

What will you miss most about WVU? Spending late evenings with friends studying for classes while also trying to tackle the problems of the University.