Hello! My name is Casie Yonker, and I am a first-year engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. I plan to major in bioengineering and mechanical engineering. I am from Pittsburgh and live about 20 minutes away from Pitt. I am very passionate about working out, running, and playing soccer. I am also involved on campus as the business manager of BMES and a member of SWE and EWB. Additionally, I am a member of Delta Zeta, so spending time with the friends made from Greek life is something I really enjoy.

I chose to participate in the Greece Plus3 program because I’m interested in seeing how engineering shows up in the real world. Since being at Pitt, I’ve come to appreciate architecture more than I used to. Buildings that I spend a lot of my time in, like the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Chapel, made me more aware of how much thought goes into design. I’m excited to see a completely different style in Athens and experience that history firsthand.

As a bioengineering and mechanical engineering major, I’m also interested in seeing how design and problem-solving vary across different environments and cultures. I think being in a new setting like Greece will push me out of my comfort zone and help me develop a broader perspective in engineering and in how I approach new challenges.