One of the reasons I chose to attend Hopkins is because of the amazing faculty here. As someone who has explored different career paths and faced uncertainty, I’ve learned the people that make up your support network shape your growth and development. The ways that faculty have impacted my Hopkins experience vary, but they are all crucial to my educational journey.
Within my major, I was assigned a general faculty advisor, Dr. Jessica Dunleavey, who helped me understand the different biomedical engineering (BME) requirements and options for focus areas, design credits, and electives. Having Dr. Dunleavey as someone I could turn to with questions regarding classes and professors was really important, especially when I was a first-year student. She even ended up being my professor in the Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab I took as a junior. It’s interesting to see faculty in different conditions, despite both being settings where I learned a lot!
With advice from Dr. Dunleavey about taking a wide range of classes to discover what I may be interested in outside my major, I decided to take a business class since I was curious about the industry applications of BME. I found really interesting courses that covered topics like marketing, finance, and consulting through the Center for Leadership Education (CLE) under the Whiting School of Engineering. The CLE faculty have very different backgrounds, but all have professional experience in their disciplines.
I took an intersession course on PR and media in the Big Apple with Professor Leslie Kendrick that ended up being one of the most impactful courses to my learning. We had the chance to travel to New York City and visit and speak to alumni working in marketing, communications, and public relations. Professor Kendrick tailored the class to our interests, and I learned how these fields can utilize an engineering background. Roles such as survey designers and user experience researchers displayed the intersection of analytical and creative skills that were taught and honed in the classroom. After I demonstrated my interest during the course, Professor Kendrick encouraged me to consider marketing and operations roles within healthcare and medical device companies. I’ve since taken additional courses that she teaches (which were highly recommended by the alumni she introduced me to). I’ve gained valuable experiences in a leadership role within the project-based course, working with real clients that I’ve been able to reference in interviews.
While I’ve learned about many different fields (some less related to my major than others), I found guidance in unexpected places. My time at Hopkins has not been defined by one singular mentor. Instead, it’s been shaped by advice and teachings from many faculty that build on top of each other. From this support, I’m sure I will always have someone to reach out to within the Hopkins network.
