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"SAU has elevated my expectations for myself and the kind of skills I want to develop. My worldview has expanded because current issues aren’t avoided in class discussions; in fact, they are often the core examples in many of my courses, personifying the responsibility that my education holds for my future."
Higher education should lead to personal discovery. For Perla, that journey is supported by faculty who challenge and encourage her to do and be her best. At St. Ambrose, we focus on the educational and personal growth of every student. It's just what we do.
Hometown: Villa Park, Illinois
Why SAU?
"Being the first in my family to attend college, I had to decide for myself fairly quickly the quality of education I wanted to pursue. The campus size, location to home, and student-to-professor ratio were all strong reasons to choose St. Ambrose's Engineering Program, but ultimately it was the staff who convinced me the most," Perla says.
How has SAU changed you?
"Prior to SAU, I attended community college and although I am grateful for my education there, SAU has elevated my expectations for myself and the kind of skills I want to develop," Perla says. "The level of independence I’m learning within my courses is a skill vital for years to come. I've definitely become more competitive since my classmates and professors hold themselves to a high standard."
How has SAU impacted your future?
"Before attending SAU, I only knew how to answer the question of what my major was, but never what I wanted to apply it to. Now I am able to refine the answer to what I want to do and HOW I want to do it with every passing semester." Perla has grown her ability to be an advocate, in part, due to the large number of student organizations and events dedicated to improving the campus, community, and world. "Here I have realized that with plenty of hard work, a solution can be found and should be found."
Why Choose the Engineering Program?
SAU is the only university in the Quad Cities region that offers an accredited Mechanical Engineering program, and our PhD-level faculty proudly declare their goal is to educate engineers – not conduct personal research projects. "Since my first visit, all of the Engineering Department has made it clear they want every student to succeed. The faculty is always available to assist everyone in that journey, and they are really nice."
