General Education

During my time at Iowa State I decided to fully embrace the general education curriculum by taking
courses from a variety of the colleges at Iowa State. These courses were chosen as a way to ensure I had
a well-rounded education and had the opportunity to explore other majors before cementing in my
choice of Electrical Engineering. During my time at Iowa State I participated in classes in Economics,
Political Science and Agronomy apart from the engineering curriculum. Each of these classes all brought
a different aspect of learning that I was able to incorporate into an engineering setting.
The Economics of Discrimination gave me a unique perspective on the difference in not only pay, but
overall economic and social differences seen in the United States. Being able to spot these differences
and formulate concepts on how to reverse any negative consequences can be a useful tool to have in
the workplace. As I start my career I hope to move up into a management position and will be expected
to keep the work environment as equal and non-discriminatory as possible.
I also was able to take an Introduction to American Government course. This course not only showed us
the basic functioning of the federal government but also allowed us to express our opinions in a non-
judgmental environment. I found it interesting how polarized peoples opinions can be without any
actual facts in which they formulized them. It was an eye opening experience on how if you believe in
something ensure that it is for the right reasons. Always look at a situation objectively to ensure you are
not basing your opinions on some preconceived notions. By the end of the course this is a lesson that
was brought to light to a majority of the students and though our opinions did not always change, we
had actual reasons for each opinion.
To finish off my general education courses I will be taking Agronomy 342, World Food Issues. Coming
from a farming background I have a good understanding of the farming issues that face producers in the
Midwest but that is where my understanding ends. I feel that this course will allow me to look at
situations on a broader scale and force me to always be looking deeper into aspects of life that I may not
have considered before.
Although these courses were informative and in many instances eye-opening, they also showed me that
my true passion lies in the electrical engineering field. After graduation I will be working at a nuclear
generating facility here in the United States where I hope to gain experience from the largest producer
of nuclear energy. This experience will be invaluable as I attempt my long term goal of employment in
the power generation field abroad.