Not Afraid of a Challenge
Danielle Bartholomew (B.S. ’18) is not afraid of a challenge. As a student at NYIT, she not only majored in mechanical engineering but took on a minor in mathematics. “I originally intended on pursuing a career in neurosurgery, but physics was fascinating to me, and I wanted to continue studying it until I had to focus entirely on medicine,” she says.
But after a while, she decided to shift her focus. “I enjoy problem solving. After speaking with individuals who studied engineering, mechanical engineering seemed to be the best option for me.”
Originally from Grenada, Bartholomew came to NYIT-Long Island not only because of its reputation but also because of the location. “I wanted someplace away from the city and somewhere that the standard exams I did in Grenada would be recognized,” she said. During her studies, she maintained a nearly perfect GPA and accomplished remarkable achievements, including being awarded the prestigious Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service in 2016.
“I had all the support that I needed when applying for internships and scholarships at NYIT,” says Bartholomew. “When applying for SMART, I received wonderful assistance from students, staff, and faculty. That period of time was one of the many moments when I realized NYIT was the right place for me.” Bartholomew is currently in the second phase of the SMART Scholarship program, working for her DoD sponsoring facility, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New York City. “I am in a two-year rotational program under the Army Civilian Training, Education, and Development System (ACTEDS) Intern Program. When I graduate from this rotational program, I will settle down in one department.”
The challenging coursework at NYIT also kept her mind engaged. “During my last semester at NYIT, a final project for one of my courses involved designing a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system for a meteorological center,” she recalls. “This assignment mirrored a real-life setting, so the tasks were not as simple as a textbook problem. Needless to say, I learned a lot.”
Bartholomew was also interested in helping her fellow students succeed and thrive. She spent a lot of her time helping other students as a tutor, and she was also a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society Women of Engineers (SWE), and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Even with her already impressive résumé, Bartholomew is not done learning or giving back. “In addition to developing myself professionally while being a federal employee, I would like to obtain a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering someday,” she says. “Tutoring and teaching will definitely be a part of what I do. Also, I would like to expand STEM Caribbean, a news and media website I co-founded in 2013. The Caribbean has a lot of talented people in STEM fields who are continuously making mind-blowing contributions to the region and the rest of the world. Through my organization, I hope to inspire the younger generation.”
