Hudson, Melina

Why did you choose Pitt? 

As I began my college search, I was looking for three specific criteria: a strong engineering school, a large marching band, and proximity to a safe city. The University of Pittsburgh offered me all of these opportunities. When I toured the Swanson School of Engineering, I was drawn in by the collaborative, creative, and hardworking vibe of the students. I saw students who genuinely enjoyed both their work and whom they were working with. I felt like I fit right in, so I decided to go to Pitt.

Advice for First-Year Engineering Students

Do college the way that makes YOU happy! Do not feel like your first year or your college career as a whole has to fit any kind of mold or check off all the boxes! You might not be best friends with your roommate, or click with people in your classes right away. Not only is that ok- it is normal! Try new things and step out of your comfort zone, but don’t feel insecure if you think you aren’t getting the “perfect college experience.” (The perfect college experience is a myth!)

Extracurricular Involvement and Other Campus Jobs

I am a tenor sax player in the Pitt Varsity Marching Band; I have been the social chair and mentorship chair of the Society of Women Engineers; I am a brother of the co-ed service fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi; I helped co-create the Pitt Band Activism Committee; and I am currently beginning work on a Campus RainWorks project this semester!

Plans for the Future

I will be pursuing the EAGr program at Pitt to earn my MS in Environmental Engineering. I will then be working for Greenman-Pedersen Inc. after graduation.