Amanda Mongillo
About Me: Hi everyone! My name is Amanda and I am an EngSci 2T8 + PEY, which means that this fall I will be entering into my third year of the program. I grew up just north of Toronto in Vaughan, and after spending my first year in residence at St Michael’s College, I am now living downtown in an apartment just off campus. I am going into the Aerospace major, and I hope to complete a minor in robotics. I am especially interested in space exploration and human spaceflight, and I am currently a general member of the U of T Aerospace Team (UTAT) space systems team working on mission operations. I have also been an executive for Women in Science and Engineering (WISE ) at U of T for the past two years and it is one of my favorite communities to be a part of 😊. Outside of school, I love exploring the city with my friends, going thrifting, or binge-watching shows with my roommates (our latest obsession was Gossip Girl).
Why I Chose EngSci: Growing up, I never really thought of engineering as a possible career path, even though there were many early signs that I was drawn to STEM. I loved Lego robotics, begged my parents for STEAM kits from Toys-R-Us, and spent a lot of time building and creating things just for fun. In high school, my favourite classes were math, science, robotics, and woodshop, and I realized I wanted to study in a field that combined problem-solving and theory as I enjoyed learning with hands-on design work. Aerospace engineering was the first program that truly clicked for me. I chose EngSci specifically because when I looked it up online, everyone claimed that it was a program for people who loved to learn, and that resonated with me. I was excited to explore a variety of engineering and science topics (especially quantum physics in 2nd year, that sounded so cool!)
My EngSci Experience: The transition from high school to EngSci was definitely an adjustment for me. The pace of the program can feel fast at first, and during my first few weeks I had to learn how to balance the workload and figure out what study habits worked best for me. Upper-year EngScis reassured me that first year is really about adapting and finding your learning style, and that making some mistakes or facing some challenges is completely normal.
What truly got me through first year has to be the friends I made in the program. The key to succeeding in EngSci is truly working together. I would go to the common room whenever I was stuck on a problem set or CIV102 assignment, and sure enough there would be a group of first-years already working on them, and everyone was more than happy to include you and help each other out. I never could have imagined how close-knit the EngSci community is. You are always supported by your peers whom you are seeing in all of your classes, or the upper-years who will gladly send over their old problem set practice, or the professors who truly want to see you succeed and are so willing to answer any of your questions. This community made staying in the program worth it for me.
My experience in the second year was a lot different than my first year. By second year, I had established strong friendships in the program as well as strong learning and studying habits that worked for me. I also found that the second-year courses were a lot more interesting for me, which in turn made it easier to study and practice for the courses. Even though courses like Quantum Physics and Digital Circuits weren’t completely related to the aerospace field, they were still super engaging and a great way to explore different engineering topics and skills outside of my intended field.
My advice for any first-year student would be to get involved. Join one student club or design team that you are really interested in. In my first year, I joined WISE and UTAT, and I found these clubs such a great way to focus on something outside of schoolwork, learn new skill sets outside of coursework, and connect with other passionate people who share similar interests to me.
Getting to be a part of the SKULE™ and EngSci community has been such an incredible experience filled with so many amazing people and opportunities. I am so excited for you to join our community and to meet you all! If you have any questions at all or would just like to chat about anything, please feel free to message me!
Monika Siim-Kiviloo
About Me: Hello, hello! My name is Monika, and I am an EngSci 2T9 + PEY, meaning I am entering my second year of the program. I am an international student; I was born on a small island called Saaremaa on the west side of Estonia, but I mostly grew up in Tallinn, Estonia. During my first year in EngSci, I lived just off-campus in a student residence called Tartu College – it is owned by Estonians, so that is how I ended up there. I am mostly interested in Biomedical Engineering but am still in between choosing the Robotics major or Biomedical Systems major. Related to this, I am currently a part of the U of T Bioengineering Innovation and Outreach in Consulting Club (UT BIONIC), where we work on projects with actual clients. I am also in the very early stages of building a femtech-related start-up with my classmates. Outside of this, I work at VEMU Estonian Museum Canada to connect with other Estonians abroad. In my free time, I love exercising. I registered to run a half-marathon in October, so currently I am working on getting better at running.
Why I Chose EngSci: After high school, I didn’t know I was going into EngSci. I have always been passionate about many things, so there were tons of things I was excited to learn more about. I initially studied film production at York University, which was nice, but I missed studying STEM subjects, which I’d previously focused on heavily prior to film. I then chose to transfer to U of T Engineering because I thought it was a unique field that allowed for both creativity and technical rigour. I chose EngSci specifically because 1) of my interest in biomedical engineering and the option to specialize in it, 2) I liked knowing that the program would push me outside of my comfort zone, and 3) after doing more research, the overall vibe of the program just felt the most inviting and right for me.
My EngSci Experience: Before going into EngSci, I really didn’t know what to expect. I heard a lot of people say it would be very hard, and looking back now, the first semester was definitely intense, and a lot of things didn’t go as planned, but it was also very doable. Once you start building systems for yourself that work, the rest gets much easier. For example, the second term was definitely a lot easier for me. I got more into a routine of studying in a study group and spending almost every night with the same people at Robarts Library. Also, a few other EngScis and I started meeting every Sunday to share our wins and losses from the past week. I changed clubs and did extracurricular activities not to show that I had done something but based only on whether they were interesting and exciting to me. Starting first year, I could never have expected to meet so many inspiring people. Having people around you for life who you know are super talented and hardworking, and who you can always contact to start something together, whatever it is, is one of the most invaluable things a university can give you.
Overall, if I were starting first year again, this would be the advice I would give myself: 1) Be very strategic with your time and have both a daily list of things you must do and a weekly list of things to get done. Be realistic about how long something will take when making it. 2) Spend more time early on socializing, being together with other people, and studying with other people. 3) Don’t make your life only about school. Pick clubs, activities, and sports that genuinely energize you and make you more passionate about life and what you are doing. 4) Reward yourself when you have done well, take breaks, and do fun activities. 5) Try your best to do very well, but if something goes badly, it is what it is. Analyze what you can do better next time and move on.
If I had to go back in time, I would choose EngSci 100% again. It is one of the most rewarding experiences. You will be surprised by how quickly you can learn so many new skills, and the community here is for your entire life. I am so excited for you to start your first year!