Hillary Smith (SSE '22) was a Xavier 3+2 student who majored in Biomedical Engineering. She graduated in 2022 with a bachelor's degree from both Tulane and Xavier Universities thanks to her involvement in the partnership between the institutions. She encourages others to participate in the program and here she shares details on her experience.
Q: What are some of your memorable experiences?
A: One of my memorable experiences at Tulane was the end of the year Design Expo. I'm so grateful that I was able have the resources to completely bring an idea to fruition.
Q: What did you do after graduating from Tulane?
A: After graduating I accepted a full time position at Thermofisher Scientific as a member of their Operational Leadership Development Program. This is a two year program where I have the opportunity to rotate positions every six months and change sites every year. I'm spending my first year in Austin, Texas as a Practical Process Improvement Specialist and a Demand Planner. I will be finishing up my first rotation in July and then moving to Portland, Oregon to work within the Analytical Instruments Group for my final year. This program has introduced me to the biotech industry, has put in position of leadership early on, and gives me the opportunity to work with different product lines. I am excited for my final rotations where i will be able to use more of the technical side of my physics and biomedical engineering education.
Q: What advice do you have for undergrads?
A: Don't be afraid to go straight into the industry after graduating. A lot of biotech companies have rotational programs that will give you a well rounded experience within the industry.
Q: How did you first hear about the Xavier 3+2 program?
A: I first heard about the program from my mom, who happened to see it promoted on the Xavier website. I was first enrolled at Xavier as Bio pre-med, but quickly switched over to the 3+2 program when I got on campus.
Q: What advice would you have for others pursuing this?
A: Try your best to start taking 1 to 2 engineering courses at Tulane your sophomore year. Get connected with the program director(of whichever university you plan to attend for the engineering portion) your first year. If you are pursuing a BME degree, go to Tulane. Tulane resources, faculty, and students are the best!
For more information about the 3+2 Xavier program, see the program homepage.
