Finding a Home Away From Home

When I first visited Drexel as a junior in high school, I had a feeling that this University was where I belonged. There were so many amazing aspects that stood out. It checked all of my college-search boxes — a feeling of community while also calling Philadelphia home, the School of Biomedical Engineering functioning independently, and the exceptional cooperative education program to gain hands-on experience were all what drew me to Drexel. However, my 18-year-old self never expected this University to provide all it did.

Being a BIOMED student has meant that I have been able to find a community within our school and the city as a whole. Professors and students alike were so ready to welcome me in when I was a first-year student, something that I never would have gotten at another school. The structure of our School greatly contributes to the feeling of community. Due to being independent from the other engineering majors, I was able to build a relationship with the faculty and peers that went beyond questions after class. This is part of what has allowed me to succeed in our program. Office hours with professors extended into talking about research, career choices, and my own career goals; study groups with classmates extended into close friendships.

With this community, I have been able to create incredible opportunities at Drexel, including research positions. Drexel already presents immense opportunities for research experience as an undergraduate student, but BIOMED allows the direct application of classroom skills on real-world problems. Through the BS/MS program, I am able to work on a masters' thesis in the Neural Circuit Engineering Laboratory. This has allowed me to grow as a researcher and allows me to apply knowledge gained in class to real-world questions. My research is heavily supported by my BIOMED community. Our community is a place to turn to when I have questions and need someone to bounce ideas off of. The supportive environment that has been built through my years at Drexel is why I am comfortable turning to this community.

I owe many of my positive experiences to the BIOMED community at Drexel. They have always been there as the support system I have needed to get through the difficult times of college, and there to celebrate the successes. In the vast city of Philadelphia, among the many students at Drexel University, BIOMED has been the place I get to call home.