Undergraduate Student Profiles

Name: Andrea Nicole Miltiades
Year: I’m a Sophomore, but graduating in 2006
Major(s): Bioengineering
Minor(s):
Hometown: West Orange, NJ

What is your most memorable experience at Penn?
Watching the Penn Relays my freshman year has been my most memorable experience at Penn. The event wasn’t noteworthy because I got to see superstars like Marion Jones, but because I got to watch my former track team win the 4x400 girls relay race. What made it even better, is that they dominated their heat after being seeded last. The team’s victory was the first in school history and I felt so lucky that I was here to see
it happen.

The magic of the Penn Relays was one of the things that attracted me to Penn. Cross Country and Track were a huge part of my life throughout high school and middle school. At first, I was upset that I wasn’t fast enough to compete at the varsity level in college. Realizing that as a student here, I have access to Franklin Field and can run on the same track that has graced the feet of Maurice Green has provided me with much needed consolation.

What is your favorite part of SEAS?
My favorite part of SEAS is the family atmosphere. The Administration is top notch at ensuring that all the students are taken care of, just like good parents. The Advisors and Administration here takes extreme measures to ensure that all the students are constantly reminded of registration deadlines, new classes and graduation requirements. Students are constantly getting e-mails about internship opportunities, exciting speakers and mentoring programs. I feel as though the administration wants nothing more than to see each and every one of it’s engineers become successful. They have truly taken an active role in helping the students attain their educational and professional goals.

The student body has a family atmosphere. Our engineering campus is all in one central location and it’s great to see the same faces every day. Engineering is truly challenging. Knowing that everyone has to go through the same difficult curriculum brings all the students together, and fosters a special camaraderie. Upperclassmen are always trying to mentor and help the younger students. I had a lot of help my freshman year, from the people I met through the Society of Bioengineering. The upperclassmen I met were constantly giving me advice on which classes to take, which professors were good and teaching me the tricks of engineering- like where to get free coffee. Walking around the engineering buildings and knowing that people there go out of their way to make sure my classmates and I are taken care of really makes Penn Engineering feel like home.

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