Hello, my name is William Cramer, and I am a first year Electrical Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering and Group D’s leader. I’m from the suburbs of Pittsburgh in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, about 30 minutes from Pittsburgh. In high school, I was involved in varsity swimming and diving, Boy Scouts, and worked as a lifeguard and swim lesson instructor.

I have really enjoyed my first two semesters at Pitt, where I have been involved in Club Swimming and IEEE, along with challenging myself academically in Swanson’s first year program. These experiences have helped me grow both inside and outside of the classroom, while also connecting me with others and helping me develop important skills I hope to use in the future. Outside of school, I enjoy playing guitar, going to the gym, and continuing to practice the values of leadership and service that I learned through earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

This summer, I will be traveling to Korea through Pitt’s Plus3 Program. The day after my last final, I will begin about 25 hours of travel including layovers, to reach Korea. This makes for a pretty hectic schedule so soon after finals end, but it also makes it more exciting and means that I will have enough time to work and possibly participate in summer classes back home after the program before my sophomore year begins. I chose this program because it is directly connected to my interest in electronics and technology. I hope to graduate with a concentration in Autonomous Systems, which is why I was drawn to this program’s focus on Smart Systems. I am interested to learn how this technology is developed and used in the real world, especially in a country other than the United States that is known for its innovation and technology.

Also, I’m looking forward to experiencing a brand new culture and getting a broader perspective of the world. I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to several countries in the Caribbean and Europe, including Aruba, Bermuda, The Bahamas, England, Scotland, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany. I have never been to Asia, and hope to continue learning how to become more independent, adaptable, and open to experiences like this.

I am very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to learning as much as I can throughout the program and continue sharing my experience.