Sarah Scanlin
Hometown: Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania
Major: Electrical Engineering
Class Year: 2023
Following Her Dreams at Drexel
“My junior year of high school, I took a class in AutoCAD and an architecture course that initially sparked my interest for engineering design. Following these courses, I took a series of engineering classes that helped me to determine I wanted to pursue a degree in engineering. In one of those classes, we designed and programed a garden bed cold frame that could be programed to open and closed automatically, as the outside temperature would change. My work using an Arduino in this project is what made me decide to pursue electrical engineering specifically.”
Back-to-Back Co-Ops
“I recently finished my first co-op working at AKF Group, a mechanical, electrical and plumbing firm in Old City. Because my position had been postponed due to the pandemic, I also had the opportunity to pursue a second co-op over the same cycle. This position was working with a physics professor here at Drexel, doing research on the impacts that COVID-19 had on professors and their transition to online teaching.”
Striving for Sustainability
“After graduation, I would like to work with electrical power systems and go into sustainable design. I hope to potentially get my master’s degree in Peace Engineering, along with my MBA. I hope to one day start my own company working on sustainable habitats and energy systems.”
More Student Stories
Meet these and other Drexel Engineering students.
Through Drexel's Vertically Integrated Projects program, fourth-year student Saffron Buscemi is working alongside faculty and graduate researchers to develop biopolymer nanoyarns using electrospinning — a process that could offer new sustainable alternatives for the textile industry.
From extracurriculars to major to co-op, Avani Kavathekar strove to make a difference both locally and internationally. Now the BS/MS student is prepared to graduate and do just that.
Through early mornings, late nights, and a lot of lab work, Jame McCann she found her place in engineering. This June, she’ll share what she’s learned with her fellow graduates as the undergraduate commencement speaker.