Katy Hammersmith
Second-Year, Biomedical Engineering

Like a lot of students new to Georgia Tech, I knew I wanted to get involved on campus, but at the same time I didn’t want to be overwhelmed. There is a ton to do on campus, and I knew I had to make my selections carefully. A great resource for Tech students interested in campus involvement is CyberBuzz cyberbuzz.gatech.edu, which houses all the information on student organizations. During my first semester at Tech, I chose the Student Activities Board for Undergraduate Research (SABUR), and Engineering World Health. My involvement in SABUR, enabled me to talk to other students who were involved in undergraduate research and learn about the available opportunities. I got involved in Undergraduate Research during my second semester at Georgia Tech and am now working in the McDevitt, Engineering Stem Cell Technologies Research Lab. This has been an incredible opportunity to learn the practical applications of my major.

Another resource that helped me adjust smoothly to life at Georgia Tech was GT1000. The class really helped me take the initiatives to do things that I may not have had the willingness to do on my own time, such as develop a resume and create a LinkedIn account. But at the end of the day, it was the friends I made during all these activities that helped me best adjust to life on campus. A great deal of what you learn at college happens outside of the classroom and with your friends.