When Ruth Miller began her freshman year at Kent State University’s (KSU) College of Aeronautics and Engineering (CAE) in Fall 2021, she hit the ground running. Miller, hailing from Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is a sophomore Aerospace Engineering student, with a minor in Economics. In her first semester of college, she co-founded the Women in Engineering Club at Kent State, hoping to bring speakers and professional development workshops to Kent State’s engineering program in the spirit of empowering women and providing a community for womxn to grow as young professionals. As a member of the officer team, Miller was also involved in the planning of the group’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day event in October 2022.
Miller praises this experience for aiding in her development as a young professional, “At other, bigger schools, events like these are planned and executed like a well-oiled machine, whereas we were learning at every step of the way. Helping with an event like this taught me more about communication and soft-skills than any of my other experiences could have hoped to grace.”
In addition to this involvement, Miller is an intern at LTA Research in Akron, Ohio. She credits her extracurricular involvements and the culture of the CAE for helping to land her this dream role, adding “Here [at LTA Research], I’ve been able to grow both intellectually and professionally. I do not believe the same opportunity would have been available to me if I chose a different university.” Miller is also a member of the Society of Women Engineers and the Student Economists Association.
During her college search, Miller was drawn to KSU’s campus because of the support from faculty and staff in the program. “I absolutely love the support from the CAE community, and the passion for the field of engineering emanating from each of my professors.”
When asked about advice to incoming students, Miller encourages them to take advantage of all that KSU has to offer. “Take advantage of on campus resources (both academically and socially)! Career Exploration and Development helped me beyond words. And remember: college isn’t just classes and homework, it should be a well-rounded experience! Attend on-campus events, speakers, bingo, and anything you can!”
Ruth Miller hosted an Instagram Take-Over at WE Local: Detroit on Friday, February 17 on the CAE’s Instagram (@KentStateCAE)! Conferences are one of the many co-curricular experiences that students have the opportunity to participate in at KSU! Check out Ruth’s take over in the “Highlights” on our Instagram page!
For more information about the College of Aeronautics and Engineering programs, visit https://www.kent.edu/cae/undergraduate-programs