Rose-Hulman students are pushing boundaries and learning more about the world around them - both on Earth and far above it. From summer educational experiences in Japan and Spain, to internships at NASA, Raytheon, and Ball Aerospace, these students are taking their studies abroad and beyond.
Kirk Preston
Kirk Preston, a graduating senior from Fort Worth, Texas, is a mechanical engineering and International Studies major with a minor in Japanese.
This summer, Preston interned with the U.S. State Department, as a participant in their Critical Language Scholarship program, and studied Japanese at Okayama University in Japan.
Preston participated in cultural activities that focus on challenges Japan faces today, including environmental concerns about Teshima Island to community resilience in the face of population decline.
The cultural activities tie back to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“I really enjoy being able to connect with my peers that are the same age but speaking Japanese. … While the culture may be different, it’s surprising to hear that sometimes we share similar experiences in our upbringings and educational careers,” said Preston.
Garrett Hart
Garrett Hart's on-campus projects completed through organizations such as Rose Rocketry and FIRST Robotics helped him launch into an internship at Ursa Major in Berthoud, Colorado.
"Rose has helped me grow a strong work ethic and the ability to work at a fast pace, and, above all, provided hands-on experience," he said.
"I was told during my internship this summer that my projects on my resume were what set me apart from hundreds of other applicants."
Hart worked on software infrastructure to stream data from the rocket engine in real time during testing, putting him in close orbit with the engines in his day-to-day work.
"Confusing [the sound of] a rocket engine for thunder, and thunder for a rocket engine, is still something I’m not used to," he joked.
Hart, a senior electrical engineering major from Terre Haute, hopes to land in a career at a company that "helps move society forward."
Lainie Lawrence
Lainie Lawrence, a junior chemical engineering major from Greenfield, Indiana, is a self-proclaimed extrovert and spent her summer making new amigos when she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain.
Lawrence took two humanities courses while abroad: Spanish Culture and Women in Spanish of the Golden Age.
"I absolutely loved diving headfirst into a new cultural experience and learning how to become more independent and spontaneous!" Lawrence said.
At Rose, Lawrence is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Lilly Scholars Network, and Chi Omega. She is also a Noblitt Scholar and an admissions tour guide.
"My 'broadened' dream goal is to use my extroverted personality and life skills to help others," she said.
"With the amount of hands-on experiences Rose offers through classes, extracurriculars, and volunteer opportunities, it is very easy to get involved and impact the community."
Sam Kowing
This summer, Kowing interned with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
He worked on a laser ranger for precision formation flying of spacecraft to better observe the Sun.
“The system I’m working on is so temperature and vibration sensitive that we have to turn off the air handler in the room an hour before taking measurements,” said Kowing.
At Rose-Hulman, Kowing serves as president of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, vice president of the Photon Squad, Rose’s SPIE (National Society of Optics and Photonics) chapter, and is a member of choir and RHIThm A Cappella Club.
Sam Betts
Sam Betts, a senior from Hudson, Ohio, is a mechanical engineering major who interned with Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp this summer.
She also worked in the cleanroom with experienced test engineers and technicians, as well as interfaced with the engineers responsible for motor design.
As part of her Ball internship experience, Betts toured both the aerospace and canning parts of the company (the aerospace sector is owned by the same people who made Ball mason jars).
Interning at Ball helped Betts build skills toward her dream goal of leading a team that makes a lasting positive impact on the human condition.
She credits Rose-Hulman for helping her work toward that goal.
“Being surrounded by motivated and encouraging people at Rose goes a long way!” said Betts.
At Rose, Betts is very involved with Rose Rocketry Club and helped start the RHIT SmallSat, a group focused on satellite building. She also helps with the astronomy club, plays cello in the orchestra and is a Noblitt Scholar.
Jasmine Lo
Sophomore computer engineering major Jasmine Lo explored Taiwan and her passion for helping others through a summer experience with the Overseas Community Affairs Council.
The Elmhurst, Illinois, native taught English to elementary students in rural areas of Taiwan who did not have the resources or access to learn the language.
"What I loved about my experience was the ability to not only teach but also learn about Taiwanese culture. During the weekends, my teachers would take my teaching group out to explore Taiwan," Lo said.
"I ate a lot of traditional foods like rice rolls and also participated in cultural activities as well, such as making lanterns. My most memorable activity was going to the night markets - absolute blast, and the food is super cheap! I made a lot of memories and had a great time!"
When she isn't teaching, Lo is involved with Rose's Paintball Club, Floor Hockey Club, Unity, MakerLab, and Humans vs Zombies. She also educates others about Rose-Hulman as a campus tour guide.
Miguel Vasquez Lopez
Miguel Vasquez Lopez, a senior from Houston, Texas, is majoring in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace engineering. He is also pursuing a concurrent master’s degree in engineering management as part of the Rose Squared program.
This summer, Vasquez Lopez interned at Raytheon Intelligence and Space.
His projects at Raytheon included constructing and programming robots to interface with virtual reality capabilities, and diving head-first into a new multi-million-dollar initiative to bring future integration capabilities to the aircraft through a new head-mounted display (HMD) on the V-22 avionics displays.
Vasquez Lopez’s most memorable moment from his internship:
“We got to see a real V-22 aircraft takeoff! You could feel the gust of wind pick up drastically as the aircraft began to wind its engines, and it was awesome!”
On campus, Vasquez Lopez is vice president of Rose Rocketry and a member of the Rose-Hulman band program where he plays saxophone in an ensemble and soprano saxophone in a sax quartet.
Arjent Imeri
Arjent Imeri (right) is pursuing double majors in optical engineering and engineering physics.
The senior from Terre Haute, Indiana, explored his majors through a new lens during his internship at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
"My project focuses on optical simulations of telescopic systems and involves constructing experimental optical systems to analyze the errors that hinder the performance of the off-axis telescope project: the Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEOS)," he said.
At Rose, Imeri is a member of Soccer Club, Ski Club, and Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
Imeri has his sights set on magnifying and developing scientific innovation and instrumentation.
"My dream goal is to be part of transformative research for humanity, whether it be for the betterment of society or for the expansion of our knowledge."
Katie Stuart
Summer flew by for Katie Stuart, a junior from East Peoria, Illinois, studying mechanical engineering with an aerospace concentration and a minor in Spanish.
Her internship as a manufacturing engineering intern at Qarbon Aerospace in Red Oak, Texas, helped her reach for the sky.
She shadowed manufacturing engineers on various aircraft programs, working especially with composites. She assisted with problems the team encountered on the floor, helping to make the operations more efficient.
"I got to dive deeper into the assembly of aircraft rather than just manufactured parts, " she said.
Stuart currently serves as chapter president of Alpha Omicron Pi and was previously a Sophomore Advisor in Mees Hall. She wants to soar into a career in aerospace engineering after graduation.
"It's truly amazing watching aircraft come together," Stuart said. "You grow almost immune to it the longer you work there, but it's truly spectacular that such powerful aircraft are sitting feet from you. It is intriguing to think about the capabilities each ship has and what mission it will be put to when it leaves the doors. Being surrounded by life-changing technology is something I hope I never take for granted."