Selasi Etchey, ElecEngr'20
#ILookLikeAnEngineer
Why did you choose CU Engineering?
I've wanted to be an engineer since the 7th grade and CU Boulder has the best engineering school in the MST Time Zone. The school itself is really beautiful as well and I'm happy that I made the choice.
What does the #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag mean to you?
The #ILookLikeAnEngineer hashtag means inclusion for me. It symbolizes the fact that being an engineer is something that can transcend race and gender boundaries. Engineers come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
What are three things that make you unique?
1. I was born in Ghana, West Africa and my family immigrated to the United States through the Diversity Visa Program
2. I'm left-handed
3. I was internationally ranked in FIFA in middle/high school
What are your career goals?
I want to work on Medical Embedded Systems after I graduate, and hopefully in the long term I can go back to school to obtain a graduate level degree and become a teacher/professor.
Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?
"I comfort myself by saying if I believe in dinosaurs, then somewhere, they must be believing in me" – Mookie Wilson
What are your hobbies?
I love watching soccer and playing tennis. In my free time usually like hanging out with friends and hiking.
What is your favorite engineering experience?
My favorite engineering experience thus far is the final project I helped construct for my Embedded Systems Applications class. We built a MIDI Laser Harp over the course of five weeks. Although it was difficult at times, it was incredibly rewarding to see our project working on Expo day and also explaining how it worked to everyone that came to see it. The project was an eye opening experience and was overall really fun.
Do you have any advice for a freshman in engineering?
I can personally say through my experience in engineering, everybody struggles at some point. Finding difficulty in engineering isn't an anomaly, and the best thing you can do during those periods is to find help. Whether through study groups, office hours, or tutoring sessions, everybody needs a support system at some point; no one really ever gets through engineering alone.
Selasi Etchey, Class of 2020, Electrical Engineering, Smoky Hill High School