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Student Profile

Robyn Johnson – Leading by Example

If the dictionary had a graphic to illustrate the definition of “bubbling personality,” Robyn Johnson’s photo would be there.

An effervescent computer science and engineering senior who plans to graduate in August, Robyn has also been a College of Engineering Student Ambassador for the past three years. Student Ambassadors are engineering students who accompany Lynard Broussard, the college’s recruiter, on many of his visits to area high schools. Ambassadors conduct engineering activities and provide first-hand examples of the experiences awaiting students who choose to study engineering.

“I never expected to be working with high school kids,” Robyn confessed, “but I really get a kick out of answering questions and providing some insights on what lies ahead for them. Because I’m not that much older than they are, they’re more willing to ask questions and believe that I’m not trying to glorify the college or make things sound easier than they will be.”

Robyn is especially proud of getting more girls to consider engineering as a career. “I worked with computers in high school. When I started here, there were only two other girls in the program, and I hardly ever saw them. Now, when I go to the high schools, girls there are thinking ‘If she can do it, so can I.’”

Robyn smiled as she recounted something that happened on campus last year. “Two girls came up to me and said ‘We remember you! You came to our school two years ago to talk about being an engineer.’ I was really pleased to know that I my visit had had some influence on these two girls. It makes me think there are other kids out there whose lives I’ve had an impact on, too.”

In addition to being an Ambassador, Robyn has worked with the college’s Engineering and Computer Science Summer Camp program for two years. Last year, she was a camp counselor, shepherding camp participants between classroom demonstrations and field trips and staying with them in the dorm. “We had to be with them 24 hours a day,” she explained. “We walked, ate and breathed with them.”

This year, Robyn is the student director for the camps, supervising counselors and making sure things follow the schedules. “As I said earlier, I never expected to be working with kids, but now I live for the camps! It’s stressful, but worth the experiences. One of those was the first time I had ever been addressed as ‘ma’am.’” Robyn points to Dr. Carter Tiernan, the assistant dean of engineering, a computer science senior lecturer and director of the summer camp program, as the ideal mentor. “Dr. Tiernan is the best role model I have ever had,” Robyn exclaimed. “She is very open and outgoing with the kids and students in the college, but still has the ability and timing to demonstrate her authority when it’s required.”

During her senior year, Robyn has worked as a research assistant in Dr. Roger Walker’s Transportation Instrumentation Lab, coding tasks associated with his monitoring systems projects for TxDOT. “This has been a great opportunity and learning experience for me,” she said. “I’m discovering the interesting ways how software and hardware can come together. I’m especially interested in micro embedded systems.”

Perhaps she will further that interest when she begins graduate studies this fall.