1. Personal Statement 1
Jared Henning
Becoming a mechanical engineer has been my goal since I started looking into
undergraduate institutions. I began by looking into engineering programs at a few
different institutions, but I was directed to look into private colleges and so I did. I visited
Gustavus Adolphus College and decided that it was the right fit for me. However,
Gustavus does not offer any engineering majors so I chose to take a pre-engineering path
as a physics major. My plan has been to get a B.A. in Physics at Gustavus and then go
into a graduate program for mechanical engineering or structural engineering. I would
like to find a career doing research and development for a private or government firm.
My first choice would to work with the design, manufacturing and control field of
engineering. My second choice would be to work with thermal, fluid and plasma
sciences. My third choice would be to get into transportation engineering. My desire to
get into these fields stems from my desire to use my science background in an
engineering field that I would enjoy and should be able to excel at.
First, I would like to get into design, control and manufacturing engineering since
I believe that it is a practical field in which I could find a career developing systems,
processes, machines, and tools for any industry. Design engineering appeals to me since I
have worked in a factory setting. I like to think that I am a hard working individual and
that I finish task in a timely and efficient manner. I would like to help develop and design
processes, machines, and tools for an industry in order to improve the efficiency of a firm
so as to improve their profits. Design engineering makes sense for me because I have a
mind that wants to build and create things that work safely and efficiently.
Additionally, I have always had an interest in thermal and fluid sciences mostly
because of my interest in aerodynamic and aeronautical engineering. The advancements
in this field have astounded me. The idea that people have engineered planes and ships
that can cross continents and oceans is amazing. I would like to get into thermal and fluid
science engineering so as to get find a career researching and developing ways to make
planes or ships faster, stronger, and more durable. My background as a physicist gives me
a scientific mind that will help me excel in this field.
Moreover, I would like to get into transportation engineering for many of the
same reasons that I want to get into thermal and fluid science engineering. The
automobile industry is another field that I have wanted to get into for as long as I can
remember. Often while driving in my car, I think to myself how amazing it is that people
are able to travel far and wide in much less time than it once took. As a result, I would
like the opportunity to help improve automobiles, trucks, or trains.
Furthermore, I believe that my background in physics will help me succeed in a
graduate program for mechanical engineering since I have developed good problem
solving skills, experience working in a laboratory setting, and experience with scientific
data collection and analysis. The physics courses that I have taken at Gustavus have
given me a variety of skills that should prove useful for my further education.

2. As a student at Gustavus, I have had a strong liberal arts education alongside my
physics curriculum. This has taught me to interact with different people in all different
fields. The close community of a private institution has also taught me how to form
connections with people from various disciplines. This versatility is one thing that I can
bring to this graduate program. Now if my physics background has taught me one thing it
is how to solve problems. It takes critical thinking to solve many physics problems. It
often takes a series of steps to complete a physics problem. I am able to analyze a
situation and take the necessary steps to fix any problem. My ability to problem solve is
another trait that qualifies me to continue my education in mechanical engineering. My
liberal arts education alongside my physics curriculum has helped to form me into a
versatile individual able to solve any problem.
First, I have a background working with construction tools for domestic and
private installation of various hardware such as mounting computers and other objects to
walls, I have helped install pieces of industrial machines, and I have taken apart and built
many things such as stairs, platforms, and walls. I have used electric power tools, gas
power tools, and pneumonic power tools. I have gained these skills from my pasts jobs
working as a maintenance employee of a private company called Anagram Intl. and in the
Gustavus scene shop where I worked for my student employment.
Additionally, I have taken the necessary steps to learn how to use many tools for
the construction of equipment that could be used in scientific experiments and other
applications. I took an introductory electronics course in which I was taught how to wire
basic electronic circuits such as op amps, counters, and simple step motors using 555
Timers along with others. I have done work constructing robotic equipment utilizing
soldering irons and small screwdrivers to attach electronic components. I have also
worked with computers and wiring in a job environment. I spent a summer as an IT intern
where I set up computers and installed programs on them. Often I had to replace bad
hardware. I have experience running and wiring network cables in a warehouse and office
setting. My background working with electronics gives me some basic electrician-like
skills that could prove useful as a mechanical engineer.
Finally, I have experience working in a laboratory setting with experimental
equipment and have had to learn some programming in order to model physical
phenomena as well as to do complicated mathematical procedures. The physics
experiments that I have done have taught me how to use laboratory equipment such as
oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, lock-in amplifiers, and robotic instruments. My early
physics courses introduced me to use Microsoft Excel and Sigma Plot to analyze data
trends. I have also taken an introductory programming course in C++ and another course
in python. In my upper level physics labs I had to learn the basics of Mathematica and
Matlab. I have done some work with robotics in a simple robotics January term class as
well as in an advanced laboratory course. I have a lot of experience working with
scientific equipment, mathematical modeling, and scientific programming. My
background in scientific experimentation has given me experience using scientific

3. equipment to take data of physical phenomena and to analyze data using various
computer programs.
In conclusion, I want to become a mechanical engineer in order to help research
and develop technology that can improve the lives of millions like the invention of cars
or airplanes. I would like to get into design engineering so that I have the skills needed to
design complicated engineering projects. I want to get in thermal and fluid science
engineering so that I have knowledge that could prove useful in a career working with
planes or ships. Transportation engineering seems to my ultimate career goal, but I would
like to have a more generalized background in engineering so that I am more flexible for
future jobs. Finally, I am a hardworking and determined individual. When given a task in
a job or a class, I make sure to complete it on time to the best of my ability. This along
with my problem solving skills, scientific experimenting skills, basic electronics,
programming skills, and construction skills have given me a solid background for
becoming a mechanical engineer.