Alumni Night Spotlight
Purdue University and GEARE Alumni, Jessica Ma is a member of the class of 2019. While at Purdue, she got both her Bachelors and Masters in Biomedical Engineering. Throughout her
academic career, Jessica completed graduate and undergraduate research, a co-op with Boston Scientific, and an internship with SuZhou Purification Technology Co. in Taicang, China. She is
currently working for Pathware Inc. as a Systems Engineer.
Highlight and lowlight of her studying/working abroad experience?
Jessica really enjoyed making new friends, being braver, pushing boundaries, and traveling on a
whim while abroad. She did however, face a little culture shock while in China.
How did GEARE influence her studies outside of the program?
Being involved in GEARE encouraged Jessica to explore more outside of her major. She took a
History of Ireland Course and received an English minor. GEARE helped her balance STEM and
her other interests.
Teresa Mair is a member of the class of 2020. She graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. While at Purdue, she interned with American Axle & Manufacturing in Detroit, MI and in Valencia, Spain. She is currently working full-time for GE Power as an Operations Manager.
Highlight and lowlight of her studying/working abroad experience?
Teresa really appreciated the opportunity to explore Europe. She noted that there is a lot of
history to investigate and rich culture to experience. She was surprised to find herself much
more homesick than she anticipated.
What opportunities did she take advantage of while in GEARE?
While in GEARE, Teresa took advantage of leadership opportunities. She was able to network
with people in industry while facilitating events for the program.
Lilly Myers is a member of the class of 2016. She graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering. While at Purdue, she interned with Wrigley and Whirlpool
EMEA in Cassinetta, Italy. She is currently working full-time for Sorenson Impact as an Evaluation Specialist.
Highlight and lowlight of her studying/working abroad experience?
Lilly liked the pace of working in Italy. She found the work environment to be more casual than
the U.S. She also appreciated how nice and welcoming the people were. At times, she struggled
with the expectation that she should be happy because she is in a new country. She recalled
lots of ups and downs.
How did GEARE influence her studies outside of the program?
GEARE helped Lilly explore her other interests like Spanish. She found that Spanish classes were
a good break from Engineering classes and ended up pursuing a Spanish Minor. She also
challenged herself to take a class taught in Spanish while abroad.
Emily Flaherty-Woods is a member of the class of 2017. She graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s in Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering. While at Purdue, she did several rotations with Rockwell Collins, including a rotation in France. She currently works for Collins Aerospace as a Program Manager.
Highlight and lowlight of her studying/working abroad experience?
Emily found the sense of independence she felt while living alone in a new country to be the
highlight of her international experience. She also learned a lot about balancing stress, family,
friends, and work. Figuring out logistics on the other hand was a pain. She distinctly remembers
several headaches from arranging to get her first paycheck.
How did she incorporate GEARE while networking?
Emily highlighted GEARE on her resume while talking to recruiters. She also made sure to
articulate the value of GEARE and the skills she gained from the program. She suggests being
prepared to explain GEARE’s meaning and features.