The spring of my sophomore year, I was given the unique opportunity to become a crew member at the Kirsten Wind Tunnel (also known as the University of Washington Aeronautical Laboratory or UWAL). Since 1939, Kirsten has been a place for leading companies in the aerospace industry to test their innovative designs. However, with decades of operation, there are only a select number of students hired during each cycle – which provided me an opportunity to set myself apart from all the other aerospace engineering students in my class. My position also provides me with a unique preview to aircraft and other projects hidden from the public and company competitors. As a crew member, I assist with operating the tunnel and helping to ensure that each customers’ tests go smoothly. On a more individual level, I have made it my role to identify common operation complications and design then implement functioning solutions. With adventure and independence as some of my main core values, it is important to me to have a job or task where there is always something new to improve on and design – something to challenge convention and prove the impossible is possible. This job has taught me a lot about working with engineers in the industry, patience and problem solving skills required for an engineering career, the importance of organization and communication in large projects, and the application of classroom knowledge to real situations.