GRAD SETS SIGHTS ON BRIGHT FUTURE

Casey Sullivan Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, cum laude Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
Hometown: Austin, Texas

What has the last year been like for you?

I began the semester as the president of [the a cappella group] Novis, and for the group to survive the decrease in membership, we had to make a big recruitment push — so much so that over half of our members were brand new. Novis had a successful semester, and we’re really proud of all the work we’ve put in to get the group to sound great.

How did you become interested in mechanical engineering?

I was always great at math, but nothing ever grabbed my interest until my first physics class in high school. There I learned how interesting it was to apply the mathematical concepts I had learned to real-world problems. I also took a computer-aided design (CAD) course, which I found interesting. So, when I looked for a major, I took the product of physics and CAD and ended up at mechanical engineering.

What are some opportunities you’ve had at UTD?

As a National Merit Scholar, I had the opportunity to engage with the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. My favorite part was the honors electives you can take. The courses were small, with only about 20 students per section, and each class was structured more as a discussion than a lecture. This gave me more positive interaction with my fellow students and kept me interested in the subject matter.

What are your plans?

I have secured an engineering internship over the summer. If all goes well, it could turn into a full-time job.

A version of this story appeared in News Center.