What You MUST Know

Motivated Undergraduates in Science and Technology, or MUST, students are reaching out to the OLC to share their college experiences and what motivated them to pursue a STEM degree. During the holidays, MUST students who were alumni of INSPIRE shared in a special LiveChat about “Life After INSPIRE” (you can see this chat in the LiveChat archives on the Home page). They are also writing blogs to answer some of your questions about what happens after you graduate. Here are some answers from MUST student Michael Barnes.

• I was originally born in Washington D.C. and I currently reside in Capitol Heights, Maryland.
• I am currently a senior at The Ohio State University majoring in Electrical & Computer Engineering.
• The reason I decided to pursue an education is because I truly enjoyed going to class everyday and I wanted to expand my knowledge. With the world becoming more global and competitive, I knew that I needed to further my education and college has helped prepare me. I chose my path in STEM because of my 1st internship at Goddard Space Flight Center. Before interning there, I did not have an idea of what I wanted to do in college but this 1st internship changed my perspective. I had the opportunity to work with computers, robots and engineers for the first time and that experience helped lay the foundation for my STEM career.
• The biggest challenge I encountered while being in college was adjusting to the rigor of the coursework. Coming from high school, I did not have the same type of academic preparation as some of my peers in college and I had to learn material in college that some students were exposed to in high school. These classes included chemistry, physics, calculus, etc… This was a challenge because I had to work even harder in the classroom due to the fact I was catching up to the material. College can seem daunting because it moves at a fast pace and that can be tough to overcome.
• I was able to overcome this challenge by displaying a strong determination to succeed. I knew that I had some limitations coming into college but I did not let that deter me. Ohio State has various resources on campus that I utilized in order to help me. The school has a writing center, tutoring for math classes, tutoring for science classes, counseling and professional development help. Going to office hours with my professors was a tremendous asset as well. It was here that I gained a relationship with my professors and got much needed help in the classroom.
• The best thing I like about college is the diversity that you will encounter. At Ohio State, there is so much diversity within the classroom, social aspects and professional aspects as well. Having diversity allows me to see other perspectives and helps me grow as a student.
• Since I have been at Ohio State, I have had the opportunity to intern at Goddard Space Flight Center engaging in various activities. During my time there, I have worked on a network security project, orbital debris project and also got a chance to work with Electrical parts in a laboratory. These internships allowed me to gain experience working at a renowned facility and also to see cutting-edge research/projects. I truly enjoyed the people at Goddard and the culture there. Employees were dedicated to their work and they provided a positive environment while I was there.

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