Name: Henga Hoseini
Program: Mechatronics Option with Co-op
Extra-curricular Activities:
UBC Engineering:
- Engineering Tri-Mentoring-Junior and senior mentee, and member of organizing committee
- Engineering Reading Week project – Student leader
- Engineering Without Borders – Occasional volunteering
- Women in Engineering group – Steering Committee
- BC High Schools Robotics Competition – Judge
- Mentoring Grade 8-12 students – Mentor
- Mech Eng Ambassador program – Presenter
- UBC Engineering representative – Outreach
- Science Fair competitions – Judge and Mentor
- UBC Imagine Orientation – MUG Leader
- Western Engineering Competition – Delegate
- International Mondialogo Competition – Competitor
- Engineering Coop Student Advisory Council – Member
Community:
- Nepal Orphanage Improvement project – Fundraiser and House renovation volunteer
- Costa Rica Childcare and Teaching program – Volunteer
- Canadian Blood Services – Regional Ambassador and clinic volunteer
- Millennium Network, UBC Bound, and DAWEG – Member
- North Vancouver Library Teen Advisory Council – Member
- Aquatic Conservation Local Team – Co-leader
- International Film festival – Volunteer
- Student Employee Network at DND – Founder and Co-chair
- Field Hockey community team – Team player
- UBC Latin Dance Passion Club and UBC Dance Club – Member
- Various City-wide celebratory and awareness events – Volunteer
- Metro Vancouver Solid Waste Management Series – Youth representative
- Adopt a Highway local campaign – Co-coordinator
- Kids Basketball Camps – Coach assistant
Interests:
- Oil painting
- Dancing
- Poem writing
- Tae Kwon Do
- Canoeing
- Making 2D & 3D animations
My blog: Coming Soon!
Who I Am
In a nutshell, I’m described as the enthusiastic smiley Henga with a travel bug and strong urge to explore. I’m a third year Mech and have had 12 months of engineering work experience. Meeting new people, tasting new food and visiting new places are all outrageously exciting for me! I spent my childhood in central Iran and moved to Canada 6 years ago as a teenager. I allowed myself to be changed in ways I could never engineer, to re-examine my values over and over again, and to be content with an unpredictable future. At UBC, I immersed myself in a broader community than just engineering faculty, difficult at times but possible! So here I am as a Mechanical Eng student, pursuing something that I never imagined myself 4 years down the road, many ups and downs, though happy about my decision. Read my blog to hear about my journey and of course do drop me a line!
A Day in My Life
Waking up at 6:15 and commuting from North Van, my day on campus begins at 8:00. My classes run from 8:00 am -5:00 pm, with an average of 3-hour spare time in between. On average, I spend 25 hours weekly on lectures/labs/tutorials. Apart from academics, I am involved in councils, competitions, clubs, conferences and social events during the day and after 5:00pm. For example, my Tuesday schedule is 8-12:30 lectures, 13:00-14:00 club meeting, 14:00-15:00 hang out with friends, 15:00-17:00 classes, 17:00-18:00 council meeting, 18:00-19:30 dance lessons, 20:00-21:00 studying on the bus, 21:00 arrive home and last minute studying.
Why I Chose Mech
What motivated me to undertake engineering studies, specifically Mech:
- Broad field; diverse grad studies and career options
- Always dreaming of making robot surgeons and flying buses
- Developing critical thinking and the fact that engineers serve the society
- Travelling!
- Combining biology, physics, finance, entrepreneurship and helping people
- Honestly I did not know what I want to do, but I knew choosing engineering in undergrad studies would keep my options open after graduation
- Financial stability while I look for my dream career path
Life Beyond Classes
This is where I go a bit crazy! Balancing the social life, school and extra circulars plus making everyone happy! In summer and in my weeklong breaks, I’ve usually been occupied with volunteer projects, coop jobs, preparing contest entries, tutoring and overseas travels, and lastly but surely not least catching up with friends and family. I also devote some time to Latin dance and field hockey in my spare time.
Getting Here from High School
I came to UBC after completing my high school in North Van. I was fortunate to receive a few scholarships which very much motivated me in pursuing my long term goals. I always liked to voice my curiosity, was bold, and took risks, so deciding to pursue engineering studies was more of what matched my personality and where I saw myself applying my skills to benefit the community. It was not an easy choice; the blogs and my teachers guided me in the process of elimination and selecting a suitable program.
The Best Part
- The student body, supportive professors and the real challenge
- Strong job market and a degree that can be applied in multiple disciplines
- Designing the coolest stuff: aircrafts, heart valves, submarines, and robots …
My Advice to Prospective Students
- Get involved! That’s how you find out what you really want to do, plus many other benefits
- Role models and mentors are helpful in clarifying your direction and raising self awareness
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle, build networks and clear your mind of “can’t”
- “Opportunities multiply as they are seized”
- Deepen your understanding of the world around you, whether it’s UBC, Vancouver or the Globe
- Strive towards becoming well-rounded! This is what top-notch universities/employers are looking at.