Mentor Biography

My name is Anirudh Sriram and I am an Aerospace Engineering major in my second year at UCF. In 2022, I graduated from Olympia High School in Orlando, Florida. One of my favorite classes is the Intro to Engineering class you take as a freshman. For your second semester you have to build a boat which races around the reflection pond, and I have learned so much from this experience. I definitely learned a lot which I would not have done so otherwise without this project. One of my favorite professors I have had so far is Dr. Steinberg. He was my Intro to C programming professor and he made me appreciate coding for what it is. Leading up to his class, I was not someone who was very good at programming, and certainly not one who enjoyed programming. His class helped me see that coding could be fun in its own way. His enthusiasm was contagious, and his passion for computers and coding rubbed off on me. I love this program for the support and structure it brings. The first semester at college can be tough for several reasons, from feeling homesick to taking some challenging courses. Through it all, EXCEL/COMPASS can really help. I used the EXCEL center quite often in my first semester because of how helpful the TAs were, and the test reviews we had often made the difference between getting an A or a B. You meet many of the same people in your classes and it helps to bond with people easier. UCF, after all, is a university with 66,000+ students, with the engineering college being one of the biggest. Take advantage of the resources EXCEL/COMPASS has to offer, don’t be afraid to reach out to people, and have fun! When I am not working or studying, you can often find me at the Formula SAE club on campus or vibing at Lake Claire with some friends.