Sarah Krisher
	Bioengineering
	Class of 2014

Hometown: Moon Township, Pennsylvania

High School: Moon Area High School

Extracurricular Activities: THON, Women in Engineering Program, Engineering Ambassadors, Society of Women Engineers

Why did you choose to come to Penn State? The first time I walked around Penn State’s campus, I knew it just felt right. The sense of community here is unreal and makes you feel immediately at home. Penn Staters have a special bond that you will not find at any other school. Also the amount of opportunities the school has to offer are immense; from the quality of your degree to research, abroad, and extracurriculars, Penn State has everything to make a perfect college experience.

What has been your best memory as an engineering student? My absolute favorite engineering experience was an engineering design class I took in Nantes, France. Through the program I was able to learn different design methods, modeling programs, and other technologies from a global perspective. The best part of all was we got to work with a group of French students that we became very close with. It was an eye opening experience being immersed in another culture, and I cannot wait to hopefully go back and visit.

What advice would you give a first-year engineer? Be open. This applies to everything. Some people come into college knowing exactly what they want to do and some have no idea. Even those that think they know may change their minds, which is completely normal. College is supposed to be a time to discover what you love, and as you grow your interests might change. So whether it is your major, a sport, or any other type of activity, be open to trying new things or those that have been on your bucket list for a while. Penn State has a lot of opportunities, take advantage of them!

What do you plan to do after graduation? It’s more like a rough draft, but I do know for sure that I would like to incorporate research in some aspect of the medical field into my future career. Currently I am looking into applying to medical school with the long term goal of becoming a pediatrician.

What has been your best experience outside of engineering at Penn State? Becoming involved in THON was life changing and has significantly shaped my college experience. From my first committee meeting to being lucky enough to stand on the floor the last four hours THON weekend freshman year, I have been hooked and continue to volunteer through the organization. Knowing you truly make a difference in the lives of children and their families has been the most rewarding thing I have ever been a part of, and is hands down my favorite aspect of Penn State.