itakewithmethememoryoffailingthefirstexaminoneofthefirstengineeringcoursesitookasanundergraduate.irememberthinkingthecoursewasjusttoohardformeandthatiwouldneverbeabletopassit.soiwenttotalktotheprofessor,readytodroptheclass.andhetoldmenottogiveup,hetoldmeicouldsucceedinhisclass.forreasonsthatseemedcompletelyludicrousatthetime,hesaidhehadfaithinme.andafterthatmygradesintheclassslowlyimproved,andiendedthesemesterwithanaonthefinalexam.irememberhowmotivationalitwastoknowthatsomeonebelievedinme.
itakewithmememoriesofthemidwesternfriendlinessthatsosurprisedmewheniarrivedinst.louis8yearsago.sincemovingtonewjersey,iamsadtosay,nobodyhasaskedmewhereiwenttohighschool.
itakewithmethememoryoftheshort-livedcomputersciencegraduatestudentsocialcommitteelunches.theideawasthatgroupsofcsgradstudentsweresupposedtot
aketurnscookingamonthlylunch.butafteronegradstudentpreparedapotofchickenthatpoisonedalmosttheentirecsgradstudentpopulationandoneunluckyfacultymemberinonefellswoop,therewasn'tmuchenthusiasmforhavingmorelunches.
itakewithmethememoryofamoresuccessfulgraduatestudenteffort,theestablishmentoftheassociationofgraduateengineeringstudents,knownasages.startedbyahandfulofengineeringgraduatestudentsbecauseweneededawaytoelectrepresentativestoacampus-widegraduatestudentgovernment,agessoongrewintoanorganizationthatnowsponsorsawidevarietyofactivitiesandhasbeeninstrumentalinaddressinganumberofengineeringgraduatestudentconcerns.
itakewithmethememoryofanengineeringandpolicydepartmentthatoncehadflourishingprogramsforfull-timeundergraduate,masters,anddoctoralstudents.
itakewithmememoriesofthe1992u.s.presidentialdebate.eagertogetinvolvedinalltheexcitementivolunteeredtohelpwhereverneeded.irememberspendingseveraldaysinthemakeshiftdebatehqgivingout-of-townreporte