Engineering News Spring 2014

Though Mark Coulter '14 transferred into Santa Clara Engineering from a community college in Monterey, California, he has made the most of his time here and is a great example of how Santa Clara strives to "educate the whole person."

Two years before coming to SCU, Mark fell for a girl who got him interested in ballroom dancing. The relationship didn't work out, but the love for dance grew. When he enrolled at Santa Clara, it was as a mechanical engineering major and a dance minor. "I love the T-model that Santa Clara uses, and I see how it has helped to shape me to be both analytical and communicative, technical and creative," he said. The T-model Mark refers to is SCU's approach to engineering education that pairs a deep technical core (math, science, engineering, design) with a broad set of soft skills essential for success (communication, ethics, integrity, creativity, global view). "Because of dance, I’m more open, and I like being that kind of person. Still, it's a process, and Santa Clara preaches this to students: you're created by an entire lifetime and by your experiences, you're not just one thing—an engineer or a dancer. It's important to realize that to start growing."

This quarter is a busy one for Mark as he finishes up his senior design project, working with teammates on a solar-powered absorption chiller for use in underdeveloped nations, while also rehearsing four dances to perform with fellow dancers in a classmate's senior spring recital. In his spare time, he’s been very involved in getting a new club on campus, "Into the Wild," off the ground. As vice president, he has helped grow the club from 3 leaders to 20 and transition into a Chartered Student Organization. "I feel good about getting students off campus for Sunday hikes, weekend trips of biking, river rafting, or camping, and spring break trips to the Channel Islands, Grand Canyon, or Zion National Park—safe fun that isn't alcohol related. It's so important to have a variety of experience."

With all of his interests, it's good to know that engineering is Mark's first priority. "Working on senior design has been my favorite experience at SCU and I'm starting to apply and interview for engineering jobs. You can't deny the contacts and networking opportunities SCU provides. Dance is extracurricular and I love it, but I'm excited to start my career in engineering."