Computer Engineering Grad Got a Kick Out of Her Embry‑Riddle Experience

Alumna Holly Ross (’19) credits the support from teammates and professors with helping her shine on and off the field.

A Computer Engineering graduate, Ross knew she wanted to play collegiate soccer, and after meeting Embry‑Riddle's coach and touring the campus, she knew it was the right place for her.

“Academically, I loved the small class sizes, access to labs and opportunities that are normally offered only to graduate students,” she said. “Athletically, I felt the soccer team was the right fit for me.”

Ross is from a family of engineers and consulted them when deciding on a major.

Why Choose Embry‑Riddle For a Computer Engineering Degree?

“My dad was an electrical engineer, and I had an older sister and brother studying electrical engineering and computer science in college,” Ross explains. “I spoke with all of them about what they liked and found that since I was interested in both the hardware and software side of computers, the computer engineering degree at Embry‑Riddle would perfectly give me both.”

Ross also felt it was easier to learn in an environment where she could get to know both her classmates and professors.

“It was very helpful that as an undergraduate student all of my professors knew who I was, and I was able to stop in at office hours to get any help I needed.”

Computer engineering students at both Embry‑Riddle residential campuses are provided access to knowledge and expertise in a vast array of aviation, aerospace and industry areas.

Student projects are a part of the curriculum with additional project opportunities available through professional organizations such as the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) student branches and the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), a competition host.

Ross advises current and future Eagles not to be afraid to ask questions.

“While you may feel like your question isn’t a good question, it’s always worth it to ask anyway.” She continues, “You’ll get the question off your mind and most of the time, there’s someone else who wanted to know the answer to that question too.”

Ross attributes her professors for helping her secure an internship in the industry so she could have real-world experience before graduating.

Where Can You Work With a Computer Engineering Degree?

She landed an internship Micron Technology, a semiconductor company that produces memory devices, in Boise, Idaho, and credits her computer language courses with helping her learn two new coding languages required to complete her internship project.

"My studies at Embry‑Riddle fully prepared me for all the tasks I was given in my internships.”

Highlights From the Soccer Pitch

Ross excelled on the playing field as well, bringing home several conference championships and appreciating the shared passions of her teammates.

“The highlight for me was traveling across the country with a team that not only shared my love of playing soccer but were also very dedicated to studying and learning the same things I was.”

Nowadays, the playing field for Ross looks a lot different. She now works full-time at Micron,  where she applies what she learned in her program.

“The technology I worked with at Embry‑Riddle was up to industry standards and allowed me to quickly integrate into my work environment.”

What can you accomplish here? Apply at Embry‑Riddle today and find out.