F

or 
the 
past 
three 

and a half years, I’ve 
fought fiercely against 

being 
titled 
a 
“Michigan 

Engineer.” 
I 
rejected 
this 

title because to me it seemed 
like the Michigan Engineer 
represented so many of my 
negative 
experiences 
amid 

engineering culture: having to 
prove to my male teammates 
that I’m just as capable as 
them, students and faculty 
alike not understanding how 
our decisions as engineers 
affect 
real 
people’s 
lives, 

and 
fighting 
against 
the 

administration to accept my 
work in disability design and 
design research.

I remember so vividly the 

day sophomore year that I 
walked into the machine shop 
for the first time to complete a 
training project. I was sweating 
and my hands were shaky. I 
tracked down one of the guys 
in flannel shirts who looked 
like he might be in charge and 
told him why I was there. I 
told him I had never been in a 
machine shop before and had 
absolutely no experience with 
making things. He walked me 
over to a big scary lathe and 
told me the project was easy — 
don’t worry. I asked him how I 
should start. He shot his wide 
eyes at me and said: “Didn’t 
you watch the instructional 
videos? 
You 
really 
should 

come here prepared.” Then he 
walked away.

What that man didn’t know 

was I had actually watched 
every single video they gave 
us about three times each. I 
memorized 
everything, 
but 

it’s 
different 
when 
you’re 

standing in front of a giant, 
scary machine for the first 
time. I didn’t know what to do. 
I apparently wasn’t allowed 
to ask for help. But I couldn’t 
just stand there, look at all the 
knobs and levers, and hope to 
magically become enlightened 
either. So I left. I returned my 
tools, got back my Mcard and 
walked out the door.

I thought it was my fault, 

that I wasn’t good enough to 
be an engineer. I had never felt 
so stupid in my whole life. I sat 
on a bench outside the EECS 
building and called my dad 
right then, crying progressively 
harder the further I got into 
recounting my story.

This memory and the way 

I felt that day will forever 
be burned into my mind. 
Unfortunately, it’s not the only 
negative experience I had in 
engineering, and I’m not the 
only person to have felt that 
they weren’t good enough to 

be an engineer. To me at that 
time, identifying as a Michigan 
Engineer meant being close-
minded, 
condescending, 

exclusionary of women and 
minorities, unwilling to ask for 
or give help, and too proud to 
admit mistakes.

So why did I stay in this 

program? It’s a question almost 
everyone asks me and one that 
I’ve asked myself every day for 
the past three years. I realized 
recently that it’s because of 
those whose energy and action 
contradict the negative, but 
often 
accurate, 
stereotype 

of 
a 
Michigan 
Engineer. 

Despite my experience in the 
machine shop, my design team 
that semester was incredibly 
supportive, and we were able 
to bring out one another’s 
strengths in ways I never 
imagined.

That same year, I began a 

disability design company with 
Sidney Krandall, a University 
alum in the School of Art & 
Design class of 2016, and we 
were able to rely on individual 
faculty to sit down with us and 
give feedback on cardboard-
and-duct-tape 
prototypes. 

I discovered people whose 
offices I could stop by and 
pose big questions to about 
carving my own path through 
the College of Engineering. 
Shanna 
Daly, 
an 
assistant 

professor 
of 
mechanical 

engineering, became one of 
my closest mentors in this 
way. She helped me discover 
the exponential growth that 
occurs when design research 
aligns with design practice, 
and introduced me to a world 
of opportunities, including a 
trip to Copenhagen to present 
our research.

Amy Hortop, a coordinator 

of 
mechanical 
engineering 

capstone 
projects, 
became 

my partner in creating an 
Interdisciplinary 
Design 

Conference. This introduced 

me to an entire group of 
engineers, 
architects 
and 

designers who care just as 
much as I do about doing 
impactful work. And finally, 
my capstone design project 
team — Val Coldren, Ryan 
Payerle and Sheevam Naik — 
has been a source of unending 
creative energy as we navigate 
our way through an intense 
case study in disability design.

A couple of months ago, I 

realized I’m graduating this 
spring with a degree from the 
University of Michigan College 
of Engineering. So by definition, 
I am a Michigan Engineer. What 
does that mean?

I 
am 
a 
designer. 
I’m 

passionate 
about 
designing 

with and learning from people 
who 
have 
disabilities. 
I’m 

insistent 
that 
every 
single 

person has the opportunity to 
create a positive impact in the 
world, and I try to open people’s 
eyes to that opportunity. I care 
about being reflective and 
constantly question whether or 
not I’m a good person.

Some days, when the answer 

is no, it’s up to me to figure out 
why and put the right work in. 
After seeing so much negativity 
in the world this year, I decided 
to ensure every action I take 
is one that positively impacts 
society. Choosing to live my 
life this way has given me both 
direction and wind in the sails 
of my boat of life.

So 
what 
do 
you 
offer? 

What is a Michigan Engineer 
to you? I think now is our 
opportunity to define that the 
Michigan 
Engineer 
doesn’t 

just take one form, that we 
require it to be a fluid term. 
I’ve experienced a College of 
Engineering that is diverse in 
thought and passion. Where 
each student brings unique 
strengths and individuality to 
the table. Writing “University 
of Michigan” on a résumé 
no longer implies a certain 
personality or skillset.

Each one of us has carved 

our own paths through this 
university and every day my 
fellow students define what 
it means to be a Michigan 
Engineer. The weight is on 
our shoulders to create our 
own definition and to ensure 
that our legacy is one we 
can be proud of. Our shared 
background 
as 
Michigan 

Engineers 
is 
the 
platform 

from which we take our big 
jump with eyes wide open into 
creating the world in which 
we want to live.

W

hen I watch the 
tour groups circle 
campus, 
I 
both 

smile and cringe as I see 
the 
prospective 

freshmen 
coming 

to the University of 
Michigan. I smile 
because 
college 

tours are exciting 
— they are full of 
promise and dreams 
of what is to come. 
But I cringe because, 
for 
many, 
college 

tours are also the 
beginning of a time 
in which students will first 
encounter the realization that 
they know basically nothing 
about the world.

I put myself in their shoes 

and it is hard to believe who 
I was a year ago. So much has 
happened since then, and as 
my first year at the University 
comes to a close, I realize I 
have learned a plethora of new 
things and yet still seem to 
have learned very little of the 
world outside my education. I 
am not sure if this is because 
it is my first year or because so 
much of the next three years 
is still unknown, but I have 
never been more aware of the 
knowledge I do not have.

I 
have 
had 
some 
hard 

lessons because of this lack 
of knowledge throughout the 
year. Whether it has been in 
what classes to take, what to 
major in or any kind of sizable 
life decision, more often than 
not, I usually learn from the 
mistakes I have made and not 
the things I did right. And 
this makes me wonder if I 
can successfully graduate and 
enter the “real” world with all 
of the skills I could ever need.

This extends to my friends 

and acquaintances as well. 
They have expressed these 
same thoughts, and it has lead 

me to believe that we, as a 
generation, still do not know 
very much. Collectively, our 
knowledge may be great, but 

I do not see how 
we can confidently 
leave college behind 
without 
admitting 

that we are not done 
learning.

Depending 
on 

what 
source 
you 

consult, the oldest 
millennials 
are 

currently 
entering 

their 
mid-thirties 

right 
now. 
This 

means many have settled, or 
are beginning to settle, down 
to have families, and they are 
just now starting to find jobs 
they could possibly stay in for 
more than five years. When 
looking at the big picture, we 
can see there are so many other 
people with more experience 
to draw on that we are still 
basically children within the 
world and young adults at best.

Millennials 
need 
to 
see 

that although some of us may 
disagree with certain values of 
older generations, we are not 
all-knowing or better because 
of our youth. There is value 
in talking about life lessons 
with those older than us even 
when we do not see eye to 
eye on specific issues, and we 
cannot begin to take major 
positions within this country, 
as politicians, business leaders 
or even as active citizens, 
without recognizing we have a 
lot to learn.

We must accept that our 

viewpoints and beliefs are not 
the same as others’, and it does 
not do any good to ignore what 
individuals from the opposing 
side 
have 
to 
say 
because 

we believe our way is right. 
Learning how to be a member 
of society does not just include 
contributing 
our 
opinions 

to the discussion. It means 
actively listening to others, 
being open to new ideas and 
not being afraid to change the 
way we are living based on an 
idea that was not our own.

Yes, the world is much 

different from when older 
generations were our age, but 
there are fundamental truths 
about life that we will wrestle 
with through our entire lives. 
As young adults, we have yet to 
feel the pressure to understand 
many of these, and simply 
because we have not wrestled 
with certain problems does 
not mean we can blow them 
off and not accept the advice 
we are given.

This goes beyond calling 

up our parents when we are 
having a bad day and need a 
pep talk. It means actually 
listening to what they have to 
say, what our grandparents 
have 
to 
say, 
our 
bosses, 

advisers and anyone else who 
offers us their input. I am 
not claiming everyone older 
than 
us 
automatically 
has 

something useful to tell us, 
but we should at least actively 
listen when they feel the need 
to express their thoughts.

Ultimately, even though we 

learn a lot during college, 
we cannot logically believe 
that we are done learning 
at graduation. Life itself is 
perpetually being a freshman 
and 
we 
cannot 
make 

decisions assuming we know 
everything. Because of this, 
we must remember to reflect 
not just on our choices, but 
the choices of those older 
than us. The world is made 
better 
not 
by 
citing 
the 

wrongs of those before us, but 
changing our actions so we do 
not repeat the same mistakes.

Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4A — Wednesday, April 12, 2017

REBECCA LERNER

Managing Editor

420 Maynard St. 

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

EMMA KINERY

Editor in Chief

ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY 

and REBECCA TARNOPOL 

Editorial Page Editors

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. 

All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

We still have a lot to learn

ALEXIS MEGDANOFF | COLUMN

Redefining “Michigan Engineer”

LAURA MURPHY | OP-ED

Laura Murphy is a senior in the 

College of Engineering.

Alexis Megdanoff can be reached at 

amegdano@umich.edu.

“Y

ou write for the 
Daily, 
so 
you 

want to go into 

journalism, right?” is a question 
I am often asked. 
And the answer is no 
… well … kind of. The 
answer is that I don’t 
even 
know. 
What 

I do know is that I 
enjoy the Daily, and 
it is something I am 
passionate about.

When I was little, 

I wanted to be an 
actress. 
Growing 

up, I was actively 
involved in theater, dance and 
public speaking competitions. 
It was my favorite thing to do. 
I loved having an audience and 
jumped at any opportunity 
to 
showcase 
my 
skills. 

However, 
my 
passion 
for 

performing never stopped me 
from pursuing other things. 
I played sports, danced and 
wrote for the school paper — 
shocker, I know.

The 
experiences 
I 
had 

outside of my primary passion 
for 
performing 
helped 
me 

to recognize how my acting 
abilities affected my other 
interests. In class, I was never 
afraid to be the first person 
to present a project, and I 
always raised my hand if I had 
a question. I did not know my 
willingness to perform in front 
of people helped me to be more 
comfortable 
and 
confident 

with myself.

When I came to college, I 

stopped performing. I became 
engaged 
with 
activities 

that were more specific to 
my academic interests, and 
the 
competitive 
nature 
of 

auditioning intimidated me. I 
am aware that even though I 
am not participating in theater 
anymore, that does not mean 
the skills and lessons I have 
learned through performing do 

not impact my day-to-day life.

The little girl inside of me 

still reminds me of the joy 
performing brought me. But 

now 
that 
I 
have 

been away from the 
stage, I have realized 
all the skills it has 
taught me beyond 
memorizing a script.

As we get older, 

our passions evolve 
and change to fit 
our individual goals. 
These 
goals 
are 

often 
focused 
on 

sustaining a lifestyle 

that best meets our needs. 
However, as our focus on these 
professional goals intensifies, 
the 
valuable 
experiences 

we might find outside of our 
vocation wane. If we only 
immerse 
ourselves 
in 
one 

environment, we are at risk of 
our passion burning out. 

As students, we often are 

caught up in thinking about 
how to get ahead of our peers 
by obtaining a better internship 
or scoring higher on a test, but 
we should acknowledge the 
fact that the experiences we 
enjoy outside of academics 
shape who we are. At this 
transitional period of our lives, 
we should be open-minded 
to new things and know that 
we aren’t wasting our time. 
Having and pursuing a variety 
of interests makes us more than 
our résumés. It is important 
to remember that being well-
rounded is a valuable virtue 
that makes us human. Just 
because 
something 
isn’t 

directly perceived as “on the 
right path” doesn’t mean it’s 
useless.

In 
fact, 
having 
hobbies 

or 
interests 
outside 
our 

professional 
disciplines 
is 

beneficial 
to 
our 
mental 

health 
and 
productivity 
in 

the professional field. When 

we focus our attention on 
our hobbies, we take time to 
de-stress from the daily grind 
of the workplace. It allows 
us to open our minds to new 
experiences and gives us a 
different activity to put forth 
our energy. At college, students 
feel pressured to be the best at 
their specific major, but taking 
classes 
that 
don’t 
exactly 

pertain to a specific interest 
encourages new forms of social 
interaction that we might not 
have if not for taking a class 
outside our disciplines.

While we might love the 

professions we are getting 
into, if we devote all of our 
energies to one thing, we risk 
neglecting the multitude of 
passions and hobbies we once 
had growing up. Achieving 
mastery at a specific profession 
depends on how we experience 
our lives outside of it. At college, 
we feel pressure to join clubs 
that pertain only to our major 
or field of interest. Instead, 
we should be encouraged 
to explore the things we’ve 
always loved alongside our 
professional goals. We should 
feel empowered to immerse 
ourselves in the multitude of 
opportunities we have on this 
campus.

When I tell my friends what 

I am involved in, they assume 
that my primary interest is 
some 
kind 
of 
journalism. 

However, they do not know 
all that I have done in my 
time before I joined the paper. 
Similarly, I am not aware of all 
of the interests that shape them. 
If we keep these passions alive 
beyond our youth, we might be 
surprised to find people who 
feel the same pressures we do. 
We might be surprised where 
we find ourselves.

Keep doing what you love

MICHELLE PHILLIPS | COLUMN

Michelle Phillips can be reached at 

mphi@umich.edu.

Carolyn Ayaub
Megan Burns

Samantha Goldstein

Caitlin Heenan
Jeremy Kaplan

Sarah Khan

Anurima Kumar

Ibrahim Ijaz
Max Lubell

Alexis Megdanoff
Madeline Nowicki
Anna Polumbo-Levy 

Jason Rowland

Ali Safawi

Sarah Salman
Kevin Sweitzer

Rebecca Tarnopol

Stephanie Trierweiler

ALEXIS 

MEGDANOFF

I stay because 
of those whose 

energy and action 

contradict the 
negative, but 
often accurate, 
stereotype of 
a Michigan 
Engineer.

MICHELLE 
PHILLIPS

EMILY WOLFE | CONTACT EMILY AT ELWOLFE@UMICH.EDU

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