18 Jun NDSU education builds career confidence
Lauren Singelmann credits her self-confidence to the opportunities she’s been given at North Dakota State University to learn and grow in her field of engineering.
“Imposter syndrome is something I continue to work through, but I’ve found that I now have more moments where I genuinely feel proud of myself and my work,” Singelmann said. “When working on a thesis or dissertation, you become the expert on that topic. It has required me to grow in my ability to tackle tough problems and feel more comfortable standing up for my decisions.”
Singelmann earned her bachelor’s degree from NDSU in electrical engineering. She minored in biomedical engineering. She’s currently pursuing her master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering and hoping to start her doctoral degree in the fall. Singelmann also works as NDSU’s outreach coordinator for the College of Engineering.
As an outreach coordinator, Singelmann organizes and hosts programs for students in elementary school through high school. She does not expect all of these students to become engineers, but her hope is that students feel more confident going into their math and science courses.
“Knowledge in engineering helps you grow in your problem-solving and technical skills, and those abilities are valuable in almost anything you do today,” Singlemann said.
Engineering is more than designing and building bridges, tunnels, vehicles and structures. Singlemann says engineers can find jobs in just about any industry because of the broad range of skills learned. NDSU realizes this versatility and has many resources, pathways and connections available for students.
Singelmann wasn’t always sure she wanted to pursue a graduate degree. But she realized after discussions with her adviser that helping to better educate and support students was her career passion. Her love of learning, engineering and helping others made the decision to pursue an advanced degree an easy one. Singelmann is now able to work on complex technical problems and teach the next generation of students.
“If you’re considering continuing your education, I’d really encourage you to jump in and go for it. For me, it’s been challenging and scary, but even more empowering and rewarding,” she said. “Graduate school has definitely prepared me for the type of career I want to pursue in the future. NDSU has given me so many opportunities during my time here so far, and I’ve already been able to make an impact both locally and globally.”
NDSU offers 87 master’s and 52 doctoral degree programs. Explore the opportunities to empower yourself by visiting ndsu.edu today.