What’s Your Plus? How Engineering Plus Sold Me on USC

One of the reasons I was so attracted to USC during the college admissions process was Dean Yortsos’ concept of Engineering Plus . This concept aims to show that Viterbi engineers are not just engineers who do boring engineer things; we have so much more to offer in other talents like art, design, theater, and writing. In addition, Engineering Plus does not just mean Viterbi engineers add a second major or minor in another field unrelated to engineering—we also incorporate our other interests in our research projects, internship work, and extracurricular activities.

The past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to get to know some Viterbi students who embody the concept of Engineering Plus. We’ll be continuing this series on our Instagram account, so be sure to follow us to see more in the coming weeks!

I thought I’d share these awesome Viterbi students:

1. Adam, Freshman studying CSBA

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We are excited to introduce the #WhatsYourPlus series, where we will feature Viterbi students pursuing their passions alongside their engineering coursework! First up, we have Adam, a freshman majoring in Computer Science and Business Administration. He just declared a minor in Environmental Studies and is hoping to pursue research opportunities at the intersection of the two fields. “I am excited to see how the programming skills I’m learning at USC can impact my interests in environmental issues and sustainability,” he said. What’s your plus?

A post shared by USC Viterbi Student (@viterbistudent) on Oct 12, 2018 at 12:15pm PDT

2. Martin, Junior studying CSBA

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Our next #WhatsYourPlus superstar is Martin, a junior studying Computer Science and Business Administration! On campus, Martin is a member of Sigma Eta Pi entrepreneurship fraternity, serves as Co-President of Spark SC, and has rocked out as a DJ for the KXSC radio! “As an engineer, my involvement in Spark SC and the broader entrepreneurial community has helped me gain confidence in what I can create and what I can share with others. I've been exploring and building things in ways I never thought I could!” he says. As Martin continues on in his career, he hopes to stay involved in USC's entrepreneurial community and be an advisor to its future leaders. You rock, Martin!

A post shared by USC Viterbi Student (@viterbistudent) on Oct 26, 2018 at 11:29am PDT

3. Allison, Sophomore studying BME

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Our next #WhatsYourPlus feature is Allison, a sophomore studying Biomedical Engineering! Allison worked as a research intern at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute studying the regenerative capabilities of the axolotl pancreas and as an analyst at Intrepid Investment Bankers, a middle-market M&A bank. She aims to complement her technical engineering background with strong business knowledge so she can start her own biotech business in the future. Outside of class, she serves on the executive board of Trojan Venture Partners, USC’s premiere venture capital organization, and consults with the Trojan Consultant Group, USC’s official undergraduate consulting arm. In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, sampling every salmon dish in Los Angeles, exploring museums, and spending time with her dog Chub. Allison will happily discuss education systems, eco-villages, nanoparticle machines, or neuroscience for hours. Fight on, Allison! #WhatsYourPlus

A post shared by USC Viterbi Student (@viterbistudent) on Nov 12, 2018 at 1:26pm PST

I am excited to interview more Viterbi students doing unique things outside of their coursework. If you want to read about my experience with Engineering Plus, you can read my blog about how I learned to combine my major and minor into my research and personal projects. Also, you can learn about some electives I took that helped me on this path as well.

So, I’ll leave you with one question: What’s your plus?