Students' Voice 
Alethea Evangelou, Class of 2007
Kristen Kelso, Class of 2007
We started our Freshman year together in the College of Liberal Arts at UNH. However, once we met students and faculty members from the Mechanical Engineering Department, we were immediately drawn into its unique culture.
The past two years have been very challenging. Upon entering the department we thought we had decent work ethics, but now, looking back we realize how much we have grown. The Mechanical Engineering department’s challenging curriculum has helped us learn to budget our time, and become more conscientious students.
To enhance our educational experience, we worked at engineering related jobs this past summer. This helped us get an inside look at an engineering profession, and apply the knowledge that we have gained in the past two years in a real world environment.
One of the most memorable and gratifying things that we have done so far in the mechanical engineering curriculum was apply course material in the form of a final project. We did this in Mechanics I during our sophomore year, where we had to design and build a scale to weigh our professor.
In addition to our school work, we participate in volunteer activities such as FIRST, SWE and ASME. These societies provide opportunities for us to get involved in mentoring 9-18 year olds in the local middle schools in math, science and engineering which we find very rewarding as well as fun. The Mechanical Engineering Department is a strong supporter of these activities.
We have had a great experience at UNH so far!
Michael Shaw Class of 2005
It was after leading a group of students in my high school physics class in the construction of a medieval siege weapon, known as a trebuchet, for our final project, that I decided engineering was for me. Although I was accepted to some other “Big Name” schools, I chose to come to the University of New Hampshire for many reasons. One reason is that UNH has a spectacular campus. It also keeps me within an hour or so from my parents. That way I can go home to do some laundry and get a bite of some much needed home-cooked food every once in a while. Also, the teachers are great. Not only are they knowledgeable but they are very willing to assist you if you need some extra help in understanding a particular topic.
On top of the regular ME courses I have also completed a minor in Applied Mathematics. It should be noted that the mechanical engineering curriculum is a very demanding undertaking. I have found, through my own experiences, those students with strong backgrounds in math, especially calculus, and physics tend to struggle the least. Incoming students should be prepared for, and dedicated to working very hard if they want to succeed in mechanical enginee ring. There will be many late nights of trying to get that darn thermodynamics problem to work out just right or to finish up that lab report for Junior-lab that’s due tomorrow morning. However, having said all this, I wouldn’t have changed a thing in my decision to pursue mechanical engineering as my field of study. There is nothing else I would rather do.
As a senior, scheduled to graduate in December 2005, there have been many opportunities presented to me. As a freshman in 2001 I began a work-study position in the CEPS machine shop where I’ve been working ever since. I’ve also worked as a teaching assistant in the machine shop for freshman and sophomore level ME classes since my 2nd semester at school. I’ve been involved with academic groups such as Tau Beta Pi (an engineering honor society), Pi Mu Epsilon (a mathematics honor society), and the Society of Automotive Engineers where I designed and helped build the suspension system for the ’05 Formula SAE race car. As a member of Tau Beta Pi, I served as Vice President and traveled to Orlando, FL for the ’04 National Conference. As a member of the FSAE team, I was able to travel to the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, MI where the international competition is held each year.
I have also had a few internships throughout the past four years. The first two internships I had were for an automotive supplier which made elastomeric oil seals for anything from fish aquarium pumps to motorcycle transmissions to drive shafts for bulldozers. The second two internships I had were for a small R&D firm working on advanced metal cutting technology and carbon nanotube growth. The last internship I had was for a large government contractor where I worked on a space application dealing with electro-optics. I have since been offered a full-time position for after I graduate with this last company. Some students are afraid to go out looking for internships but the way I look at it is this; chances are you are going to get a summer job anyway so why not get one that gives you some useful experience for the future which probably pays pretty well too.
If I can give one piece of advice, it is to GET INVOLVED! If there’s something you're interested in, don’t be afraid to ask questions and contact the right people, even if you feel that you don’t have enough experience or lack the required knowledge. It never hurts to ask.