Derek Patel
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Activities and Involvements:
President of the Gaming and Esports Club at Iowa State University
Internships:
Software Engineer at Collins Aerospace for the Summers of 2020, 2021, and 2022
Why Engineering: I chose engineering because I was an “engineering” kid growing up. I used to play with legos, watch the science channel, and mess around with Rube Goldberg machines.
Favorite ISU Memory: Storming the field in 2018 after ISU upset West Virginia at Jack Trice
Something Unique About Me: I’ve been colorblind my whole life, so circuits are very hard for me since I can barely tell the difference between colors.
Words of Wisdom: Force yourself to try new things/clubs. If you don’t, you’ll be missing out on so much that makes this university great.