Tyler Melser

I got my interest in engineering from my father. He was an architect and inspired me to be like him. Like most engineering kids, I also loved LEGOs and was fascinated with taking things apart at a very young age.

"PLTW classes helped me better prepare for Trine University because I had the experiences in engineering classes and knew what to expect before I came in."

My high school offers one of the most prestigious PLTW programs in the nation; we have been visited by Vince Bertram, the CEO of PLTW, many times. I knew I wanted to go into the engineering field but wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I decided to take all of the PLTW courses: Introduction to Engineering, Principles of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Digital Electronics, Engineering and Architecture, Introduction to Computer Science, Computer Science Applications, and Engineering Design and Development.

I took PLTW classes because I knew I wanted to become an engineer, but I wasn't sure what kind of engineering I wanted to do. These PLTW classes helped me better prepare for Trine University because I had the experiences in engineering classes and knew what to expect before I came in, and some of my buddies didn't.

I decided to be a design engineer because I don't want to sit behind a desk my whole time, and I want to get involved. The best way for me to do that is to design and work in manufacturing. I got a glimpse of that this summer, when I was working 10-hour days on an internship and was at my desk for maybe four or five at most. I was constantly in meetings, on the move, working on what I needed for new projects, and then I worked at my desk the rest of the day. This is what I really enjoy about being an engineer.

I had an amazing internship this summer with Mars Company, a water meter company based out of Ocala, Florida. I worked in Wabash, Indiana, but I flew down two separate times to work on large projects. I did design work for the company on three projects that have patents pending. I am hoping to work full-time for the company after I graduate.

I would not have been able to stay at Trine without financial aid. I have to pay for most of my college, and even though I have scholarships and am a resident assistant on campus, I still make payments. Financial aid like the PLTW Scholarship allows me to attend Trine and compete as a student athlete.