Name: Emma Tierney

 

Hometown: West Chester, PA

 

High School: Unionville

 

Activities Outside of WEPO: Engineers without Borders (EWB), Club Gymnastics, American Society of Civil Engineers

 

Internship/Co-Op Experience: 1. Dalian Fuyou Enterprise Intern in Dalian, China - Summer 2013
2. Cianbro Intern in Baltimore, MD; Mt. Union, PA; and Mt. Storm, WV - Summer 2014

 

Why did you choose to come to Penn State? I chose to come to Penn State originally because my Dad wanted me to come here. I continue to attend Penn State and now call myself a "Penn Stater" because of all of the amazing people I have met in Happy Valley and all of the amazing opportunities I have been given as a result of being a Penn Stater. I couldn't have made a better choice!

 

What has been your best memory as an engineering student? My best memory as an engineering student was on my first day of class as a freshman. I sat down in my MATH 140E class and sitting next to me was one of only 4 other females in the class. We started talking about WEPO just trying to be friends and as we talked we discovered that we had the exact same schedule even though we had never met. We studied together all of first semester and even took MATH 141E together. Along the way we not only met a great group of friends with whom we study but also with whom we hang out on a daily basis.

 

What has been your best memory as a Penn State student? My best memory as a Penn State student was my first gymnastics meet. Before marching out onto the competition floor, the upperclassmen told all of the freshmen to just follow their lead after the National Anthem finished playing. They said "You'll know what to do." As the National Anthem finished playing and the announcer said to start the competition, one of my teammates pulled out a cowbell to get us pumped for the meet. Having all of my teammates around me jumping and clapping was an amazing feeling that still still sends chills up my spine. Now, it's my favorite part of every meet.

 

What advice would you give a first-year engineer? It is ok to change your goals. But first, remember to ask yourself whether you are changing your goals because you truly love something else or just because your goal has become a challenge to achieve.

 

Give me one fun fact about yourself. I can put my foot behind my head.

 

 

Emma is a junior in Civil and Environmental Engineering.