{"id":36262,"date":"2022-05-16T15:35:56","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T19:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ise.ncsu.edu\/?p=36262"},"modified":"2022-05-16T15:35:56","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T19:35:56","slug":"collaborating-through-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webpublishing.oit.ncsu.edu\/ise-ncsu-edu\/2022\/05\/16\/collaborating-through-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Collaborating through College"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Original article<\/a> by Danielle Herman<\/a> at University Communications<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video by Allison DeBusk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catherine Chirichillo realized by the end of her first year at NC State that her time in the College of Engineering (COE) would work out just fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The industrial engineering senior was enrolled that spring in Physics 205, an introductory course required for all COE students. While a challenging class, Chirichillo thinks it might have been her favorite class, an admittedly unpopular opinion. It drew her closer to her classmates and professor, Stephen Reynolds, as they worked through difficult concepts and problems together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI feel like that\u2019s what engineering really is, attacking a challenge in collaboration with others,\u201d she said. \u201cHaving that go well, and that good experience, at the end of my freshman year, really solidified that engineering will be fine and that (I) can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally from Manahawkin, New Jersey, Chirichillo chose NC State so she could move outside of her comfort zone. She was drawn to the university for its large engineering school, wanting to be a small fish in a big pond and learn all that she could from her professors and peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She jumped right in, joining organizations including Fusion Dance Crew, Social Innovation Fellows and the student ambassador program for the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE). Through these she formed strong communities, while finding an important creative and physical outlet, helping make societal impacts and guiding younger students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMeeting so many people and getting involved with all the different things at NC State (has been great),\u201d she said. \u201cI think one of my favorite memories was from senior design day because it felt like a really great culmination of my time here. I just very much enjoyed my program and all of my classmates who are also my friends.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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