Build to Build by Bao Tram

Build to Build by Bao Tram - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

In elementary school, I loved making light-up greeting cards in STEM class. I’d carefully lay down strips of copper tape, connect the battery, and wait for the tiny bulb to glow. Around the same time, my uncle gave me a Snap Circuits kit, and I was hooked. I spent hours building alarms, fans, and radios, fascinated by how switching just one part could change everything. I didn’t know the terms for what I was doing, but I knew I liked making things come to life.

That curiosity stayed with me. In my classes, I’ve always enjoyed figuring out how things work, especially in math and science. I like the challenge of solving problems step by step and the satisfaction that comes when things finally click. I’ve also realized I like working independently and staying focused on something until I understand it completely.

Mechanical Engineering feels like the right path for me because it combines the creativity of building with the logic of problem-solving. I want to design systems and tools that actually work—things that help people in real ways. I’m especially interested in learning how machines and systems can be made more efficient and sustainable.

I know engineering will push me, but I’m ready for that. I’ve always been the type to stay up late trying to figure something out instead of giving up. That persistence, along with my curiosity and love of hands-on learning, is what makes me excited to study Mechanical Engineering in college.