Why I Chose CMU

Hi! I’m Wen Hui, and I’m a senior in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in the College of Engineering. I chose to come to CMU because of its academic resources, interdisciplinary experiences and out-of-classroom opportunities.

Having been in the robotics club in high school, I was always very interested in the hands-on process of building a product and wanted to further explore my interest in engineering during college. CMU is one of the top schools in the world for Computer Science, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence so I chose to come here for its vast amounts of academic resources. There is a wide range of course offerings and flexibility in curriculum for my major, ECE, which allow me to explore different domains like computer vision, machine learning and embedded systems. Coming here, my experiences met and exceeded my expectations! There were so many opportunities that made this school perfect for my major. I had the chance to work in a research lab within the Robotics Institute for two years, publishing a paper for my contributions to the project. I also participated in hackathons like Build18 (an ECE hardware-based hackathon) with peers who are brilliant and highly motivated. Not only did I get to take classes in the Computer Science Department, but I also had the privilege of being a teaching assistant for 15-112 for four semesters. I played an active role in working alongside the professors to develop new pedagogy for the course, integrating a new platform, CS Academy, into the course curriculum.

If you're not a STEM major, don't rule out CMU just yet! CMU is known for its interdisciplinary nature and that was something that attracted me here as well. I have always been a fan of art since I was young, but never had easy access to resources to explore my interest. At CMU, I wanted to have an avenue to explore the arts. Sure enough, I managed to take a School of Art class, Ceramics for Non-majors, where I learned to build ceramics sculptures from scratch; and a School of Drama class, Acting for Business, which teaches acting skills for public speaking in a business context. Outside of classes, I also realized how amazing it was to have such a diverse student body. For the past few years, I have participated in one of CMU’s biggest Spring Carnival traditions — booth — as part of the Singapore Students’ Association. I witnessed firsthand how students from different backgrounds — arts, architecture, engineering and so on — came together to create one and two story booths that integrate structural design, mural painting and electrical installation. That’s when I realized how we can take what we learn in school and apply it to real world projects!

Coming from Singapore, the diverse student body encouraged me to choose CMU. I felt it was easy to assimilate to the CMU community because of how diverse it is, with about 20% international students. CMU also has a balanced gender ratio with a strong support for women in engineering. Being a member of Society of Women Engineers and Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering not only provided me with mentors and peers I could connect with, but also offered me networking opportunities. I was sponsored by the ECE department to attend the annual Grace Hopper Celebrations, a conference for women in technology. With the strong support for diversity at CMU, I definitely did not feel left out and was able to find my place on campus.

Besides activities on campus, I love travelling and was excited by CMU’s large offering of study abroad opportunities. I saw the Antarctica program on the CMU Study Abroad page and was amazed by this opportunity. So it was truly an exciting moment when I came to CMU and was able to go on not just one, but two study abroad programs! I fulfilled my dream of going on the Antarctica program where I researched about phytoplanktons in the Antarctica waters. For my second study abroad program, I did an 18-week, multi-city semester in Europe where I studied in Italy, Ireland and Denmark, taking a range of classes from Architecture & History in Rome to Happiness in Scandinavian Countries. These out-of-classroom experiences allowed me to challenge myself and expand my worldview.

These have been the highlights of my college experience, and I definitely do not regret my decision to come to CMU!