Hi! I'm Jacqueline, a sophomore majoring in Manufacturing and Design Engineering and pursuing the Human-Computer Interaction Segal Design certificates! I'm American but I grew up in Taiwan, and I ED'd to Northwestern! I have a lot of diverse interests spanning from social justice and activism, automotives and vehicles to product design, and Northwestern's interdisciplinary culture really allows both the humanities and the STEM side of me to prosper. I've truly explored a lot at Northwestern - I actually already switched my majors three times already but now I'm committed to MaDE, and that's really how it is!! I can share with you a lot about my experience in McCormick, my involvement in various engineering extracurriculars, as well as non-academic clubs like club sports, cultural organizations and more and also give advice about life navigating Northwestern as an international student! Would love to chat! *Campus tours only available starting September 21! Virtual chats open anytime

Hometown

Taipei, Taiwan

Major(s)

Manufacturing and Design Engineering

Minor(s)

Human-Computer Interaction Certificate, Segal Design Certificate

Clubs, organizations & involvement

Northwestern Formula Racing, Kappa Theta Pi Pre Professional Technology Fraternity, Society of Women Engineers, Club Ultimate Frisbee, Taiwanese-American Student Association, Prototyping Lab Shop Trainer

Describe your college experience

My transition to college and my experience so far has been really good! Coming from a very homogeneous hometown and school environment, the diversity at Northwestern truly felt so refreshing -- the amount of different personalities, perspectives and backgrounds I've interacted with have really taught me a lot and opened my world view and even though it's only been one year, I truly felt like I've made lasting friendships for life. The size of this school is also beneficial such that you have a tight-knit network where you can walk down Sheridan Road and wave to 10 people, but there is still so many more people out there for you to get to know. Through clubs and extracurriculars, I have met so many communities that are all so welcoming but all bring an unique dynamic and bond, and honestly, the people really do make the school. Academics wise, the flexibility in switching majors​/​schools and the interdisciplinary culture of Northwestern is also very positively motivating as someone with multifaceted interests and is still exploring their passions - it really lets you embrace all parts of yourself rather than forcing you down a rigid path, which I really appreciate. I'm not someone who could only take engineering classes during my time at university, but I also don't like the extent of a full liberal arts education, so I feel like Northwestern's specialization with its specific schools (ex. Engineering, Communication, Journalism) with the ability of double major or take minors across different schools is really amazing.

Tip for future students

The quarter system moves FAST, you really are on your own for studying so you've got to be self-motivated and disciplined, but remember that there are so many resources out there for you (ex. Professor and Teaching Assistant office hours, Peer-Guided Study Groups and more) so never ever hesitate to reach out for help!! Also, join MANY clubs (anything that sounds REMOTELY interesting, join!!) because you won't end up liking them all but when you do, you really do find community and joy -- extracurriculars really are what drives you and keeps you going, you're not at college just for your classes, there is so much more out there!

Favorite class

Definitely an unpopular opinion, but Design, Thinking and Communication 1. Though this class is known for having lots of "busy-work", I really like the idea of building a physical product for a client as the sentiment of the course. Working with real problems and real people is what drives me and as someone interested in Human-Centered Product Design, the opportunity to work with real clients as a freshman is so valuable and rewarding. Your experience during the course is heavily dependent on what project you get and who your teammates are, but I was lucky to have great teammates and a really interesting project - I got to build a bird perch scale for vulnerable raptors at a wildlife shelter, how interesting is that?

Career goals

I'm definitely looking to work immediately after graduation -- the dream would be a design engineering job in NYC. But overall, I just want to do any job that involves hands-on work and building so I'm definitely looking into product design, mechanical engineering and manufacturing.

Ideal way to spend a free night

An ideal night would be eating delicious food, exploring, going on side quests with friends! Here, I love to go to Chicago with my friends to try new restaurants, visit new places or just enjoy the beautiful skyline and skyscrapers and take it all in.

High school or secondary school

Taipei American School