Driving Impact as Association Secretary at ASME
When I first took on the role of Association Secretary at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) at the University of Michigan, I knew I had a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact on both individual members and the organization as a whole. My responsibilities weren’t just about maintaining meeting minutes and handling administrative tasks, I wanted to leverage my position to secure funding, connect members with opportunities, and drive meaningful engineering projects forward.
Empowering Members: $62K+ in Scholarships
One of my top priorities was financial support for our members. Engineering school can be expensive, and I noticed that many talented students weren’t aware of the scholarships available to them. I took it upon myself to research funding opportunities, reaching out to faculty, university departments, and corporate sponsors.
After compiling an extensive list of external and internal scholarships, I didn’t just send out mass emails, I personally guided 25 members through the application process, helping them tailor essays, refine resumes, and meet deadlines. The result? Over $62,000 in scholarship awards secured within a year, reducing financial stress and allowing members to focus more on research and projects rather than tuition worries.
Opening Doors: Connecting Members to Research Positions
Many ASME members aspired to gain hands-on research experience but struggled to break into faculty-led projects. I tackled this challenge by leveraging my network, attending department events, speaking with professors, and staying up to date with open research positions in robotics, autonomous vehicles, and material science.
Over the course of three months, I successfully matched 10 members with research labs, focusing not just on connecting them but also refining their applications. I helped students craft compelling emails to professors, improve their LinkedIn profiles, and prepare for lab interviews. Seeing our members thrive in research roles, from LiDAR-based vehicle perception to biomechanical engineering, was one of my proudest achievements.
Fueling Innovation: Raising $12K for an Autonomous Race Car
One of our most ambitious projects was the development of a LiDAR-integrated autonomous race car, aimed at improving self-driving safety in obstacle-dense environments. While the technical team worked on engineering challenges, I took the lead on securing funding.
I reached out to Buffalo Wild Wings, leveraging their community sponsorship programs, and successfully negotiated a fundraising partnership that brought in a substantial donation. Simultaneously, I worked with the University of Michigan’s engineering fund, presenting a detailed proposal that highlighted the innovation and real-world impact of our project.
In total, we raised $12,000, allowing our team to purchase high-resolution LiDAR sensors, computational hardware, and testing equipment. The project became a flagship initiative, attracting attention from faculty and industry professionals, and positioning ASME as a key player in autonomous vehicle research.
Reflections on Leadership & Impact
Serving as Association Secretary at ASME wasn’t just about fulfilling my duties, it was about creating opportunities, empowering students, and driving engineering innovation. From securing scholarships to connecting students with research roles and fundraising for cutting-edge projects, I gained invaluable leadership, networking, and project management skills.
Most importantly, I saw firsthand the power of proactive leadership, that taking initiative, building relationships, and thinking strategically can create lasting impact, both for individuals and the broader engineering community.
