Stevens Institute of Technology

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Biomedical Engineering with a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Middle Eastern Straight Female

Summary

I [have a leadership position] in the Middle Eastern Student Association, I hold a [leadership position] in my sorority, and I used to [have a leadership position] in the Student Government Association.

Background

Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Middle Eastern
Sexual Orientation: Straight

Doing a 4+1 Master’s degree program
High School Experience: All-girls private high school in Staten Island, New York with 115 students in the graduating class. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Biomedical Engineering with a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I [have a leadership position] in the Middle Eastern Student Association, I hold a [leadership position] in my sorority, and I used to [have a leadership position] in the Student Government Association.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
I think having such a big position in my sorority brought me a lot closer to the rest of the student community because it was my responsibility to plan events with other organizations. I made so many friends and connections that way. It was a big factor that allowed me to get to know a lot of leaders.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
I have a lot of labs for Biomedical Engineering. That includes hands-on scientific wet labs like cell biology and dry labs like design and physiology. The coursework tends to be problem sets submitted online. Rarely is there anything submitted in person. Projects and exams make up most of the final grade.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
Yes, you go through every type of science course without knowing anything about the human body until you’re a senior when you take a basic anatomy physiology course. What I think we do super well is introducing students to every aspect of engineering as possible. Even though we’re biomedical, we still take courses in electrical engineering and computer engineering so students can really grasp what they want to focus on. [See the Biomedical Engineering curriculum here.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
There was a big shift in the middle of my college career. In the beginning, it was certainly competitive when we were all taking generalized engineering classes. You’d have classes with every other engineering major out there, and because everyone’s high school experience was different some people went to a STEM high school and some didn’t. Some people would say they knew the material already, but someone like me was still learning. When your background no longer helps you and you’re learning all-new material in the more biomedical-based classes it became so much more collaborative. Now because we’re all in the same boat, we sometimes have no idea what we’re doing, but we have each other’s backs.
How accessible are your professors?
They’ve very accessible, no matter the size of the class. They’re always willing to lend a helping hand.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
Growing up, I always loved working with my hands, whether it was cooking, drawing, or playing with Legos. That’s why I choose engineering because it allows me to see my designs and creations come to life. I choose Biomedical Engineering because I’ve always been fascinated by the medical field. It’s full of constant advances.
How has going to a school with a high male population impacted your academic experience?
I went to an all-female high school, so at first, it was a big adjustment. I had very few female friends in my first two years until I joined a sorority. It’s sad to say the most of the females join a sorority to get more female friends. It’s a major way you can connect with other females on campus, but I think for that reason the Greek culture is very different. It’s not stereotypical Greek life, it’s all fun and chill people who want to make connections. That speaks for fraternities as well. [About 29% of undergraduates are women.]

Reasons to Attend

1) We have excellent job security rates. [96% of Stevens graduates secure jobs or admission to graduate school within six months of graduation.]
2) The close-knit culture.
3) The location.
4) The diversity of clubs, organizations, and Greek life.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) The price. [In 2019-20, the total cost of attendance was about $74,000.]
2) How limited diversity is on campus.
3) The fact that it’s pretty small. That can turn some people off.
4) The fact that housing isn’t secured.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Davis Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: River Terrace Suites with six others
Junior: Off-campus apartment with three others
How was transitioning from your hometown to Hoboken, New Jersey?
I think it’s so much better. I live in a town where you can’t walk to many things, but in Hoboken everything is super accessible. It’s super ideal for being in college because everything you need is around you, especially when you don’t have a car.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
The campus has always been incredibly safe and I’ve never felt any threat there. Hoboken gets a little sketchy at night, especially because there are so many people that come from other areas to the bars. On the weekends there will be lots of drunk people and, every once in a while, people sleeping in the street. [Hoboken has the most bars per capita in the United States.]

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
In the summer there are so many free activities in Hoboken. There are outdoor markets, movies under the stars, and you can even just sit by the pier or in the park. In the winter, there’s a limited amount to do during the day, but for nightlife, there are always people wanting to go out to bars. The bars tend to be a good mix of both Stevens students and people you’ve never met so you’re not seeing the same people every time, but you don’t feel out of place either. The nightlife is also great because there are certain deals or events that happen around the bar life. There will be conventions like SantaCon and the Halloween bar crawl. Personally, I like going to New York City even if it’s just to wander around and explore. Depending on the season, at night I’ll either go to bars, out to dinner, or stay in our apartments.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
The impact is pretty large, but that definitely varies by grade. Freshmen and underclassmen tend to be limited to a select number of Greek organizations you can go to on a weekend. It gets a little more difficult to get into the quote-unquote “higher-end fraternities” where you have to know someone or be invited. They have a big influence on underclassmen because that’s what they rely on. Upperclassmen tend to spread their time between fraternities and bars because we have friends in fraternities, but want to go have fun at the bars.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
The only thing I’d change is how much everyone relies on the partying culture. It’s so big, but it’s also college so I guess it’s understandable. I feel like everyone wants to party all the time.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
A few of them were through Greek life. Before orientation, we had the option to participate in a pre-orientation which was a 3-day program where you choose between city life and you explore the city, outdoor adventure where you camp for three days, and I did the sports and fitness where we did sports activities like biking in Central Park, a run on the Brooklyn Bridge, and a bunch of other sports activities. It was a huge group of people, and the people I met there are still my best friends to this day. I’d highly recommend to any freshmen to do a pre-orientation.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Stevens?
Honestly, it’s really great. It’s not the biggest school, and a lot of people tend to complain that there’s no one to meet and everyone knows your business, but I don’t think that’s true at all. If anything, I’m constantly meeting new people.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
They definitely mix socially a lot, but because the ethnic population is limited they tend to stick with the people they know. I’m in the Middle Eastern Student Association and I love hanging out with my Egyptian friends, but I’m social and mix with everyone. It’s a small school so you kind of have to mix with everyone. [The undergraduate population is 61% White, 17% Asian, 2% Black, and 12% Hispanic.]
How would you describe the Middle Eastern community on campus? How strong is it?
It’s pretty small. I think because our cultures are so diverse, we don’t necessarily tend to stick together like the other Asian organizations do. We really like hanging out together, but as far as I know, we all have separate friend groups.
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
Very little. It’s rare that you find someone who does have good social skills that’s not in Greek life. The Greek culture at Stevens is different because they have lots of introverted and STEM-minded people, which are the people who tend to not join Greek life. The people that are in Greek life or a sports team tend to be more social. You can tell the difference between the social and the anti-social population.
How do you like the size of Stevens in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 3,700 students?]
I really like it. If anything, having a smaller and more close-knit community has brought me closer to the friends that I do have. It encourages you to make friends with people that aren’t very much like you. If we went to a bigger school, we’d be inclined to stick to the same type of person, but I’ve learned a lot and seen a lot of perspectives even though the minimal diversity at the school.

Careers

Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
I’ve consulted them and they’ve given me tips in various situations, but nothing has directly led me to a job.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I’ve used the career office to help enhance my resume, cover letter, and for advice when applying to internships. They’ve always been super responsive and helpful. Other people tend to complain.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
I’ve learned a tiny bit of Excel, and during my freshman year I learned C++ through Visual Studio. I’ve dabbled in other software like MATLAB, LabVIEW.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how accommodating was the office to your needs?
They’re okay to work with.