Stevens Institute of Technology
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Mechanical Engineering then going back an extra year for a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Biracial: Caucasian & Hispanic Straight Female
Summary
I’m part of Greek life.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Biracial: Caucasian & Hispanic
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Doing a 5-year Master’s program that will finish in 2021
High School Experience: Public high school in West Orange, New Jersey with 600 students in the graduating class. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Mechanical Engineering then going back an extra year for a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of Greek life.
What impact did Greek life have on your experience?
It’s helped me a lot in terms of leadership roles. I’ve held two leadership positions, and it gives me a female presence on campus because it is such a male-dominated school.
Academic Experience
Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
Most lectures have a lab component either built into the course or as a separate class you take at the same time. That provides a lot of opportunities for hands-on learning. It’s not really memorization, it’s more so actually proving theories. There’s typically one homework assignment a week, and if it’s a lab-based course, there’s typically one lab per week.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
I think all the professors are very willing to help the students, especially because Mechanical Engineering is a pretty popular major. They make a point to really get connected to each of the students and get to know them on a deeper level than just lecturing each week. [In Fall 2019, there were 579 Mechanical Engineering majors.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s very collaborative. All of our labs and design courses are all done in groups. When I went to go visit Stevens and did a diversity hosting weekend program as a senior in high school so I got to spend a day on campus. Getting to witness how students interacted with each other was a big reason I wanted to go. People are always working together and I think all the students realize there’s a job out there for everyone, so instead of competing to get ahead we’re all working together really well.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re all really accessible. They’re required to have 2-4 office hours per week and they tell us when they are ahead of time. If you have a quick question and want to email them, they’re really responsive. A lot of professors will do additional office hours by appointment, so they’re always willing to make time to get you extra help.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I came into Stevens as a biomedical engineer and the career path I saw myself going into was something with medical devices in the healthcare field. After talking to people in the career office and some of my older friends, I found out that Mechanical Engineering would be the best route because it’s diverse and I could fall back into any discipline, but it would also allow me to build medical devices that are more external to the body.
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation college student? Are there systems in place that help you transition?
I feel like I didn’t have trouble with the transition. I was still pretty close to home, so I could still go home on the weekend if I felt like I needed to. They do have a first-generation college student organization and they send out different resources. I didn’t feel like I was struggling in any way, so I didn’t take advantage of the resources they have.
How has going to a school with a high male population impacted your academic experience?
Academically it hasn’t made a difference. During my freshman year, it took me half a semester to realize I was the only girl in one of my recitation classes.
What has your school done to prepare you for life after college?
I think it has prepared me to work in groups. All of our design classes and labs are group-based. One of my strong suits is going into a meeting and knowing how to be a leader in that meeting. I can take notes, organize what needs to get done, and meet deadlines.
Reasons to Attend
1) The job placement rate, and how sought out students are for internships and co-ops. It’s rare a student will graduate without having completed an internship. [96% of Stevens graduates secure jobs or admission to graduate school within six months of graduation.]
2) It’s a great location and place to figure out who you are away from home.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) If you’re not willing to work hard. Whether you’re in an engineering major or not, it’s really difficult and will test you.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Davis Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: Commuted in the fall, and lived on-campus in the spring in Jonas Hall with one roommate
Junior/Senior: Off-campus apartment with three others
How do you like going to college so close to your hometown?
I love it because Hoboken is its own small city and it’s next to New York City. You feel like you’re in your own little world and a lot of students are from the Tri-State Area so on long weekends people can go home. It’s been nice. [About 37% of domestic students are from out-of-state.]
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
It’s very safe. Hoboken is one square mile, so even if you’re in the farthest apartments from campus it’s a 15-20-minute walk. Stevens also has its own police force and if you ever feel unsafe or the shuttles aren’t running you can call the police and they’ll give you a ride home.
Social Opportunities
What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
There are lots of events on campus. Once you’re 21, it’s Hoboken is really fun. It’s nice having a space to let loose and relax once your work is done. It’s also great going into New York City on random nights for concerts and shows. Stevens has an Entertainment Committee and through a lottery system, they are able to raffle off shows and sporting events in New York City. Before I was 21, I’d hang out with friends, and go to events hosted by my sorority. All of the Greek organizations have food nights each semester that starts at 10 PM so you’ll usually hang out with your friends then go get unlimited pancakes for example.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
Because I’m in Greek life I’m a little biased, but I do think it has a pretty big impact on the nightlife and weekend activities. With that being said, you don’t have to be in Greek life to be invited to or attend those parties. They’re not exclusive, and all their parties registered through the school so campus police know what’s going on. I’ve also never felt unsafe at Greek life parties.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
If I want to have a jam-packed weekend and go to a sporting event, then a party, and then go into New York City the next day, I can do all of those things, but I don’t feel any pressure to participate in them. If I feel like I need a weekend off or need to study for my exam the next week, I don’t feel pressure to go out.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
I met my closest friends during orientation. We all happened to live in the same building, and we’re still good friends to this day. I’ve made some additional close friends through Greek life.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Stevens?
I think it’s good. There are lots of options and different groups of people out there. Less than 50% of students are involved in Greek life, so there’s no pressure to join and you’re not the odd man out if you’re not part of Greek life. There’s always some sort of event going on where you can meet friends. [37% of students are in Greek life.]
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
I think they mix very well. I don’t think it makes a difference at Stevens. A lot of LGBTQ organizations are for people who identify as LGBTQ, but also for allies so it’s a safe space for everyone to be part of without being exclusive at all. [The undergraduate population is about 61% White, 17% Asian, 2% Black, and 12% Hispanic.]
How would you describe the Hispanic community on campus? How strong is it?
I think there’s a strong Hispanic presence on campus. They have the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers on campus, which is a huge organization that attends national conferences each semester. We also have multi-cultural Greek organizations and there’s a Latino and Latina fraternity and sorority.
How has going to a school with a high male population impacted your social experience?
Socially, it gave me the push to join a Greek organization. I wanted that female presence. One of the sports I participated in high school was strictly for women, so I [missed] that female team environment.
How do you like the size of Stevens in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 3,700 students?]
When I came in as a freshman, my class was about 800 students, which I liked because it was bigger than my high school but nothing compared to big state schools. I felt like when I was walking through campus, I saw at least five people that I know by name. There is still room to meet new people, where now they’re accepting closer to 1,000 students per freshmen class. I see that jump as a negative. We go to Stevens because we like that it’s a small school, so I’d like to see it stay small.
Do you ever feel like you’re more so a resident of Hoboken than a student at Stevens?
It’s mixed. I feel like I’m a resident of Hoboken because I live in a Hoboken apartment, so I have to walk through the city to get to campus. Also, not so much because all of my jobs are on campus so I’m not working in the city and meeting locals besides babysitting. I feel like a resident, but I acknowledge I’m a student there as well.
Careers
Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
The alumni network through my Greek organization has. There’s also a Facebook page for Stevens alumni to post job and internship opportunities.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I love going to the career office. For my first internship, they helped me get my initial resume together. I go back every fall and have them help me add my internship from the previous summer to my resume. I actually did an internship in Australia one summer so I used the career office to help me write a CV, which is something I wasn’t familiar with. They were helpful in giving me the tools to put it together.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
Every engineer learns how to code in C++ their first semester. In some of my other classes, I’ve learned Excel, but I’ve never taken a specific class on Excel. One of the classes I took last fall I learned Minitab.