“So many people at the university believed in me. They helped me take advantage of all these opportunities and helped me see the potential in each of them, and in myself when I didn’t see it.” M A R I S S A M U E L L E R , B E 21, 2 0 21 R H O D E S S C H O L A R
anything like this would have happened without that community of support.” Harriet Nembhard, dean of the College of Engineering, was part of a mock interview panel as Mueller prepared. Nembhard says she gave Mueller homework after the mock interview so that Mueller could improve her answer to a tough question. “What sets Marissa apart is how she handled my critique with grace and completed the follow-up assignment,” says Nembhard. “She was able to communicate with both knowledge and empathy. A student who can do this—even on a second or third attempt—will be a positive force to change the world.” Mueller is an example of how opportunities within the college translate to success, Nembhard says. “Our faculty get to know and mentor students on an individual level. Students have opportunities to gain valuable engineering experiences and equip themselves with engineering ethics and skillsets,” says Nembhard. “The result is rigorously educated engineers who will solve problems to address the needs of humanity and the welfare of society.”
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
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