Get to Know: Alexandra Switzer

Each year, departments in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Wyoming nominate their top graduating senior for the Wyoming Engineering Society Student Engineer of the Year honor. The WES Scholarships and Awards Committee will review written nomination forms and interview each candidate to select the Student Engineer of the Year.

Name: Alexandra Switzer
Hometown: Casper, Wyo.
Major: Architectural Engineering

Why did you choose UW for your education? Being from Wyoming, I couldn’t turn down all the scholarships that were offered by UW. They were very generous.

Why did you want to study engineering? In high school, I really wanted to be an architect. They didn’t have it here, and I knew I was going to the university, so I just picked a major after I got here. I took business classes but knew it wasn’t for me. Architectural engineering was a different path than most people may take, but I ended up really liking it. I liked to be challenged, and engineering definitely gave that opportunity to me.

What sets UW engineering apart? I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I not only learned about building construction and the technical piece of it, but I learned about critical thinking, how to work hard and overcome challenges that were presented to me. The faculty is extremely supportive and there’s a community here that I’m really happy I got to be a part of.

Do you participate in any extracurricular activities? I’m part of Tau Beta Pi Honor Society, I serve as a tutor and I was the secretary of Architectural Engineering Institute.

What are your post-graduation plans? I plan to apply to graduate school for architecture soon.

What are some of your thoughts on being the department nominee for such a prestigious honor? I was surprised after I got an email that told me I was nominated. It’s nice. I’ve sacrificed a lot over the past few years and put in a lot of hard work and hours that a lot of students don’t, so it’s nice to be recognized for that.