- Name:
- Kyle Arndt
- Major:
- Industrial Engineering
- Minor:
- Business Administration
- Emphasis:
- Management
- Year:
- Senior
- Home:
- Lakefield, MN
Coming from a town of 1,600 people, I was looking for a university that was similar to my hometown. UWP is a small, public university with an outstanding reputation for strong engineering programs. In addition, the tuition is affordable even for out of state residents. The UWP industrial engineering program has small class sizes that allow students to get to know everyone else on a personal level, including the professors.
I started getting involved in my major by grading papers for Professor Fahmida Masoom, an engineering faculty member. I was also fortunate enough to have completed an eight-month co-op and a three-month internship with GE Oil and Gas located in Oshkosh, WI. Working in a manufacturing role, I have learned many valuable skills that I can now apply to my academic studies and also to a future career.
Being in college, it is easy to get wrapped up in the world of academia. I believe being involved in groups and organizations on campus help bridge the gap from academic studies to the real world. Campus organizations give students the necessary exposure in the community to prepare for life after college. Involvement is an excellent way to network and to have fun with people who are interested in similar activities.
Whether it is studying in Ottensman Hall or playing intramurals, there have been a lot of outstanding moments at UWP that stand out in my head. In the spring of 2006, I helped turn our industrial engineering senior send-off from just another social event to a formal dinner. It was great to see all of my classmates and industrial engineering professors in such a formal environment. Another highlight would be going to the National Tau Beta Pi Convention held in Salt Lake City, UT, during October 2005. I was able to meet a lot of great people within the engineering realms not only from UWP but also from all over the United States. Some of these people I was able to meet again for the Tau Beta Pi Regional Conference held at Notre Dame University during the spring of 2006.