Q&A with Mariana Rodriguez

Success to me means living a happy life and positively impacting the world. As a civil engineer I’ll be living a successful life by pursuing the career I’m passionate about while developing sustainable infrastructure for future generations.

Mariana Rodriguez

Third Year Civil Engineering and with a Long-term Co-op

Mariana is a student ambassador here to answer your questions. Click here to contact Mariana.

Do you remember when you decided you wanted to pursue engineering? What sparked your interest?

In high school one of my favourite classes was tech design, one of our assignments was to design a house from scratch where we designed the layout on AutoCAD and built a small-scale model. Through that project I found my interest in design and wanted to pursue a career that applied both design and science, which was engineering. Later, I focused on civil engineering because of the growing need to improve our infrastructure and the ability to help grow our communities sustainably.

How do you manage school-related stress?

Extra-curricular activities are a great way to de-stress from school. In my third year of engineering, I joined clubs at western like rock climbing and this allowed me to have one night a week that I could dedicate to myself and to socialize with other people. In engineering it’s easy for us to get burned out and that’s why it’s important to find hobbies or activities that allow us to stay healthy and surround us with friends.

What is your favourite quote?

“Failure is a part of the process. You learn to pick yourself back up” by Michelle Obama. This is a quote that I’ve lived and still do to this day since my journey in engineering began. There’s been times when I haven’t done the best in a class or during my internship got stuck in a project and felt like I wasn’t smart enough. In engineering, there’s a lot of times where we might fail but that just means we must keep trying, think of a different solution.

Favourite study spot on campus?

My favourite spot-on campus would be the second floor in ACEB. Best spot is by the windows because the sunlight helps me to be more focused while studying, and you also get a nice sunset view during the night. ACEB is also close to one of my favourite cafes at Western, DaVincis. DaVincis has some of the best sandwiches and great coffee for mid-day study sessions.

Can you talk about your extra-curricular activities at Western? Why would you encourage students to get involved in extra-curricular activities at Western Engineering?

In my second year I was part of the “Soph” program for engineering. I encourage students to apply to be a part of this program because as a soph you help incoming first year students by giving them any advice and guidance about university. I’ve been part of the running club and rock-climbing club at western. I recommend joining active related activities because as students we’re constantly in class or studying, joining clubs like these give us a break from the work and allow us to stay active and healthy.