Tressa Glackin – Student Spotlight

June 2, 2021 CNR Web

Tressa Glackin

Originally, I applied for PSE just as a way to get broader knowledge and have more opportunities at graduation, but when I visited NC State for the first time, I fell in love with the program as a whole. All the faculty are so unbelievably passionate about the industry and the students. I also appreciated how hands-on and applicable to the industry all the classes are. I really don’t think there is any major at NC State that prepares its students for working after graduation better than PSE.

My favorite thing about PSE is definitely all the opportunities they provide their students. I have found more scholarship opportunities through PSE than I have been able to find through the College of Engineering and the university in general. There are also endless opportunities for industry experience. I managed to secure my first internship within a month of being on campus, while my other engineering friends were struggling to even find opportunities to interview. I have been able to consistently find internships and co-ops, and even when one of my co-ops got cancelled due to COVID, I was able to find another job for the semester with the help of the amazing people in the program.

My favorite thing about NC State is the community. Not only is NC State itself a close-knit community, but its reach and connection spread throughout the country. I remember touring a mill in my hometown before I had even decided to go to NC State, and when I mentioned that I was considering going to their, someone from down the hall heard and screamed “GO WOLFPACK” at the top of their lungs. That kind of strong community has continued during my entire time at NC State, both within the university and in all my industry experiences.

Get involved. Freshman year will likely be the year that you have the most free time so it’s the perfect year to see what kinds of activities and groups are out there, and which you’d like to continue. Clubs are also a great way to get to know more people and meet friends that you may not have had the opportunity to meet during your classes alone.

I am a member of the NC State All-Girl club cheer team, and it is absolutely my favorite extracurricular. As someone who is busy with classes almost all the time, it provided me a great opportunity to continue my favorite high school sport in a way that didn’t make me feel overwhelmed. Cheer keeps me active, helps motivate me to manage my time, and gives me the ability to meet new friends that I wouldn’t have had the ability to meet through engineering alone. It also lets me compete at NCA Nationals in Daytona Beach each year, which is just an amazing experience. It’s a time to showcase all the hard work done throughout the year and it lets me reconnect with friends from high school that are also still involved in cheer (not to mention also interacting with some incredible- and occasionally Netflix famous- athletes).

My favorite professor so far is definitely Dr. Jameel. I’ve had him for many PSE classes that are very similar to my required CHE classes, and he has a way of teaching things that makes it so much easier to understand, and he also does a fantastic job of making classes interactive and interesting. As for staff members, I don’t think I have ever met two people that work as hard and care as much about the students as Jennifer Piercy and Paula Harrod. Not only are they constantly working and planning events, but they are also constantly there for students to ask questions or even just to talk. Mrs. Piercy and all her help and support is undoubtedly one of the reasons I had no hesitation when choosing NC State.