“I received two offers of admission from other schools while I was attending EMEX in 2014, but while I was at EMEX I realized how much I enjoyed Penn State,” she said. “To me, leadership is about going above and beyond what you think a normal college student does, and planning EMEX allows me to do that. I love EMS and I like trying to get others as inspired and excited about EMS as me.”
Other students, like Andrew Patterson, an environmental systems engineering major, echoed that sentiment.
“When I was applying to different colleges, I was looking at mostly small- or medium-sized schools. Coming to EMEX helped me realize that I could get the focus of a small school while still being at Penn State,” said Patterson, who hails from West Orange, New Jersey. “I got involved in EMEX because I wanted to give back.”
For prospective students, EMEX provides a taste of the opportunities available in EMS, including undergraduate research. When Cat Pomorski visited EMEX, she connected with Allen Kimel, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, about her research interests.
“When I attended EMEX, I talked to Dr. Kimel and mentioned that I wanted to get involved in research. He told me to contact a faculty member in the department, Dr. Allison Beese. That’s who I’m doing research with now, looking at characterizing additively manufactured metals,” said Pomorski, a sophomore majoring in materials science and engineering who hails from Erie.
Pomorski said that planning EMEX is a way that she can pay forward the positive experience she had.
“Leadership is about taking charge and sometimes doing things that others might not want to do. I enjoy doing it because it helps the incoming students have a good experience and helps them decide where they want to go to college,” she said.
Planning the event helps students hone a variety of skills that are important for leadership.
“In my role as communications chair, I definitely have developed better written communication skills,” said Colaizzi. “Coordinating EMEX has also helped me be more organized and a stronger leader.”