Meet Jessica Huhnke

Jessica Huhnke, sophomore mechanical engineering major.

Sophomore mechanical engineering major Jessica Huhnke, of Newburgh, Ind., says her experiences at Trine University are preparing her for career success.

She is part of a growing number of females in Trine′s high-quality mechanical engineering program and is on track to earn her master′s degree as part of Trine′s five-year program. She says the program is challenging, but professors are willing to help her when she struggles.

"The professors are willing to sit down one-on-one with you. They are genuinely interested in my success," Jessica said.

In spite of constantly being challenged to think critically and creatively in her engineering classes, Jessica is excelling, playing in the No. 1 spot on the women′s tennis team. Jessica′s successes on the court have garnered regional attention this year, having been named the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association′s Player of the Week in women′s tennis.

"Coach Bill Maddock has had a strong influence on me," Jessica said. "As a professor and tennis coach, he always expects the team to give a 100 percent effort while on the court. He also constantly reminds the team that we are at Trine to get an education and pushes us to do our best in the classroom."

In addition, Jessica is actively involved with Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and the Society of Women Engineers.

"I feel that campus life is a vital part of the college experience," Jessica said. "Being involved on campus has helped me meet new people and enjoy my time at Trine."

She views campus as a community that supports athletics and student organizations, in addition to rigorous academics. "Trine is a very tight-knit and friendly community," Jessica said. "Students here are very friendly and it is easy to meet new people. Even the professors are part of the community."