Matt Nicholson

Major: Civil Engineering

Hometown: Portland, OR

Why did you choose Oregon Tech?

I chose Oregon Tech because the small campus and community fit well with my educational and networking goals. I have engineering friends who recommended Oregon Tech over other regional schools due to the low faculty-student ratios and the opportunities to work with professors in both the lecture and lab environments.

What do you like best about your major?

A Civil engineering major from Oregon Tech provides the gateway into one of the oldest and most respected professions today. I have a construction background and my education at Oregon Tech has thoroughly enriched my basic understanding of how the physical world around me works. The Civil Engineering faculty has continually provided me with excellent opportunities to gain fundamental knowledge of engineering principles while providing an education based in real-world experience.

What clubs or activities are you involved with?

I am the President of the Oregon Tech student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers and am a member of the Steel Bridge Team.

What career do you hope to have after you graduate from Oregon Tech?

I hope to attain a Professional Engineering license with a focus in structural engineering and am interested in engineering sustainably built, aesthetically pleasing bridges.

Do you have any advice for incoming students?

My advice for incoming students would be to take advantage of the low faculty-student ratios and constantly seek to enrich their classroom education with the myriad opportunities available outside of the classroom. It has been my experience that professors at Oregon Tech are available to help individual students, something I have found to be extremely beneficial in my own academic success.

Aside from academics, student clubs and organizations are a great way of developing networking and leadership skills that are valuable in the workplace while providing opportunities to travel and gain experience off-campus.