Graduation Spotlight: Abby Slates

Abby Slates

Major: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Minor: Computer Science

Why did you choose this area of study?

I came to CWRU knowing I wanted to do something in engineering and had interests in the environment and computer science from high school. After taking ENGR 131B (now ENGR 130) where environmental engineering and computer science were explored, and talking to faculty in both departments, I came to the conclusion that it would be easier to fit computer science into environmental engineering than it would be to fit environmental engineering into computer science.

What are your plans after graduation?

I will be working at Jacobs Engineering as an Environmental Engineer.

Why did you choose CWRU?

I knew that CWRU had a great engineering program, but that is not the reason that I ultimately chose to come. I visited CWRU through the admitted students overnight program (which has been on hold since COVID). I was able to stay in a dorm with a student, go to the dining hall, explore campus a little, and see how students interacted. What I realized was that while CWRU is a very academically-inclined setting, the students are also very collaborative. Students want to see each other succeed rather than making their way to the top of the class. Additionally, the school is just the right size—large enough that there are a variety of programs and extracurriculars to fit your interest and you don't know everyone on campus, but small enough that you still know some of the people that you pass on the way to class.

What was your favorite class? And why?

The class that I found most beneficial at CWRU was ENGR 131B (now ENGR 130), which I took my first semester. This class gave an introduction to 6 different engineering disciplines to allow us to learn more about what we like about engineering, and sometimes more importantly, what we do not like about engineering.

What's your favorite thing about CWRU or your favorite memory?

The people!

What's a piece of advice/encouragement you'd like to share with CSE students?

Don't be afraid to ask for help! Go to your TA/professor's office hours, talk to your academic advisor, and definitely stop by to visit the engineering peer advisors :)