![\"Mary](\"https:\/\/www.eng.ufl.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/249\/2019\/05\/mary.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Coming from a family of engineers, Mary Sullivan knew that becoming an engineer was inevitable for her. Sullivan always liked math and solving problems, but she wasn\u2019t sure which branch of engineering she would select. Now, five years later, she has been selected as a speaker for Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering\u2019s Spring 2019 Recognition Ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a freshman, I never ever imagined that I would be speaking at my graduation. Quite honestly, I am ending my year at UF on the highest note possible,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cI am grateful for the chance to publicly thank the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering which has provided me with so many opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
During her freshman year, Sullivan joined the University of Florida\u2019s American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapter and its Concrete Canoe Team, which shaped her path to becoming a civil engineer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone in ASCE was welcoming, and now they are my closest friends,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cThe team is 100% the thing that changed my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sullivan began as a paddler for the Concrete Canoe Team and participated in the annual ASCE Southeast Regional Conference in her first two years. During the conference, ASCE student chapters from various universities compete in design and skill challenges to put their engineering knowledge to the test.<\/p>\n
![\"Mary](\"https:\/\/www.eng.ufl.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/249\/2019\/05\/mary-asce.png\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cI went to my second conference and then the next day, I changed my major to civil engineering,\u201d Sullivan said.<\/p>\n
After switching her major, Sullivan took on the unofficial title as ASCE Southeast Regional Conference Director in March 2017 and UF ASCE Student Chapter President in Fall 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing involved was the best way to gather experiences and learn. It has changed the way I run my life, from organizing my day-to-day to interacting with others,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cDifferent pressures come with each position, but they\u2019ve all helped me become a stronger leader.\u201d<\/p>\n
After graduation, she will pursue a career in water resources, which specializes in subdivision design and urban planning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to be able to take all of the technical knowledge that I\u2019ve learned and create a fun design in parks and recreation,\u201d Sullivan said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Coming from a family of engineers, Mary Sullivan knew that becoming an engineer was inevitable for her. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2592,"featured_media":26857,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-templates\/single-sidebar-none.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"featured_post":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3,77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-spotlight","category-cce"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n