As I have approached the end of my academic road I have had time to reflect on my experiences and my expectations for the future. When I graduate I hope to have a job building distributed systems using web technologies. The cloud, big data, and the security challenges of the task excite me and I believe that the field will provide ample opportunity for me to learn and grow as an engineer.
In the near term I hope to continue working as a Software Engineer. The prospect of leadership seems enticing to me so further down the road I could see myself moving from a purely technical road into a people management or leadership role. In the far future I hope to found my own company producing software products. Entrepreneurship is of great interest to me and I would like to pursue that dream if the right opportunities present themselves.
Part of being involved outside of my field is that I gain great ideas and new ways of thinking. The general education component of my education at Iowa State has helped me grow as a person. Many parts of the challenging engineering curriculum, like the two required physics classes, which I will not use on a day to day basis in professional life. To persevere through those classes has helped me to increase my determination and formulate an pointed method for solving problems.
Practical implementations are messy. Engineering is putting science to practice. Every day my engineering education has helped me see the broader implication of problems and view the world through a more discerning lens. With enough rational thought and data you can find a solution to any problem.