Jillian always knew that she wanted to be an engineer and to help people, so attending the Coast Guard Academy as an engineering major was the perfect fit! She never thought of Civil Engineering until she came here, but is now very excited to continue her journey focusing on environmental engineering in the Coast Guard.

On unsurpassed faculty

“The Civil Engineering faculty is unparalleled to the rest. I came in to the USCGA as a mechanical engineer, but would spend hours in the civil faculty common space 4/c year. From explaining concepts to simply asking how my day was, there was always someone there to help. They also bring real-life experiences with them to the Academy, sharing their stories of applying what we learn here to the Coast Guard. The teachers make this major great!”

On the academic rigors of Civil Engineering

“The major is very challenging, but I came to the Academy to be challenged, learn, and grow. However, here’s a secret: there is a pattern to the classes: the first part of the semester is always difficult, but then you not only learn the material, but learning new material becomes easier. This is because the lectures build off one another and everything connects like…well, a machine.”

On problem solving

“Although civil engineering is tough, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Officers with an undergraduate in civil engineering have one of the highest acceptances into Master’s programs and there will always be a need for civil engineers in the Coast Guard. However, I would say one of the biggest benefits is that civil engineering teaches you how to problem solve, which is necessary as a Coast Guard Officer, even if you don’t pursue engineering past the Academy.”