“It’s fascinating how seemingly insignificant choices can pave the way for significant opportunities in the future”
Steven Song
Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
Grad year: 2024
Program: Civil Engineering
Campus: Vancouver
From receiving my UBC acceptance letter in late April 2019 to congratulating the graduating class as the student speaker in May 2024, I am reminiscent of my time at the University of British Columbia but am also excited to continue growing as a leader and lifelong learner. My fond memories of attending CNSBC and SSBC design team competitions, working with faculty and staff, and laughing over shared coursework struggles with friends will accompany me throughout my career as a structural engineer.
People can impact your life in the best ways and open up opportunities you would have never imagined.
It’s fascinating how seemingly insignificant choices can pave the way for significant opportunities in the future. Looking back, I remember joining the UBC Steel Bridge design team on a whim during my second year, lending a hand with UBC laboratory work that summer, and attending office hours out of sheer curiosity in my third year. Little did I know, these experiences would play a crucial role in shaping my path forward.
These experiences led to more opportunities and experiences. Namely, they assisted me in securing opportunities to CO-OP in my desired specialization, co-author a publication, present at the 103rd Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, become a teaching assistant for a fourth-year course, be selected as the graduating student speaker, land a post-graduate job, and be invited to attend graduate school at Stanford University. I believe I am where I am today thanks to the mentors who went above and beyond to support me and peers whose collaboration challenged and inspired me.
To those who are hesitant to take a trivial opportunity or attend an office hour, seize it. You will never know what blessings await you. “No one knows what the future holds, that’s why its potential is infinite” (Steins; Gate).
What has made your time at UBC memorable?
Despite all the late nights, time crunch midterms, and overly confusing assignments, the lasting bonds forged with faculty, staff, and friends made my time at UBC memorable. I recall my first design team and CO-OP interviews, the 11:59 pm assignment submissions during group calls, shared loss of sanity after stressful exams, daily UBC Steel Bridge design team practices in the CEME lobby during competition season, and last-minute model runs and manuscript edits during my research assistantship with Professor Omar Swei. It is no stranger that relationships formed during struggles are the most memorable.
In particular, I would like to thank the Steel Bridge family (Hana, Samson, Homer, Trisha, Rod … and many more) for providing an event-filled, fun, and goal-oriented environment. Looking back, I am grateful to be involved in extracurriculars because the more you commit, the more you receive.
Why did you choose to go into your field of study at UBC?
Coming from an architecture, civil planning, and engineering family background, I’ve been inherently drawn to the aesthetics and structural integrity of buildings and bridges. What’s more, Civil Engineering’s profound emphasis on positive societal impact, its tangibility, and the opportunity it offers to leave a legacy for generations to come are unparalleled. Although it is one of the most extensive engineering degrees in terms of credit requirements, Civil Engineering at UBC provides a breadth of knowledge and community like no other.
What are your immediate plans for the future?
Following my passion for structural engineering and in preparation for the anticipated magnitude 9 earthquake (“The Big One”), I am eager to pursue industry experience in seismic design during my post-graduate work term. This opportunity will serve as a crucial stepping stone before I embark on my journey to Stanford University, where I aim to deepen my knowledge and skills in all aspects of structural engineering. In the near future, I aspire to perform research with esteemed faculty from Stanford and UBC on seismic functional recovery and post-disaster actions. I would like to contribute to improving the resilience of our built communities, integrating economic and essential service constraints into structural design.
What advice would you give a student entering your degree program?
Academics are not everything. In Civil Engineering, a discipline very reliant on experience, your greatest asset lies in the accumulation of extracurricular design team involvement, forging meaningful industry connections, and leaving a lasting impression on faculty and staff. While these pursuits may initially appear superficial, they hold immense value and will become genuine if you are willing to put in the effort. Value the people around you.
But above all else, enjoy every day. Undergraduate life only comes once in a lifetime.