Student gains meaningful experiences by make time for activities she enjoys

Q&A with undergrad Esperanza Corral 

College is what you put into it—and Esperanza Corral would know. The computer engineering major at the University of Minnesota has gone from zero participation in extracurricular activities to helping plan CSE Week, a long-standing spring tradition on the Twin Cities campus celebrating student groups and activities at the College of Science and Engineering (CSE).

“In my freshman year, I was very much focused on just going to classes and doing homework,” said Corral, a recipient of the Lee S. Whitson Scholarship. “Then sophomore year, I started branching out. Overall, you can get a more meaningful experience in college when you really try to push the boundaries of what you’re doing here.”

She joined student groups, found an internship at a local software firm, helped to advance research in neuroscience, and agreed to draw a coloring sheet to raise money for the CSE Mentor Health Fund. 

In this Q&A, Corral, who's graduating this May, shares her experiences including how STEM complements her love of drawing. 

What inspired you to pick your area of study?

I was always interested in computers, and computer engineering offers a nice blend of computer science and electrical engineering. There are a lot of broad applications. I also wanted to help people, and I know the medical technology field is a big part of computer engineering too.

Why did you choose the University of Minnesota? 

I chose the U of M because Minnesota is where I live, and I know the engineering program is pretty good here. I also didn’t want to go too far from home.

How did you first become interested in drawing?

I started drawing as a kid, and I’ve continued doing it as a hobby into my high school and college years. It’s just a fun, creative outlet that complements my academic program and the STEM field. It’s a way to express myself beyond my technical studies.

Does your science background make you a better artist?

A lot of people think art and technology are mutually exclusive, but I feel like that’s false. It’s part of the whole right brain, left brain argument. I think technology and engineering can enhance art. I know the most endearing drawings I’ve seen have a practical application in the world.

What are some highlights of your time in college? 

One highlight is participating in CSE Week with the Plumb Bob student club, which I joined sophomore year. It was the first time I did something that was outside my comfort zone—outside what I normally did, which was focusing on the technical aspects of learning. I was also able to make a lot of friends. 

"It’s important to make time to do the things that you want to do and that you enjoy—or you will burn out," said Esperanza Corral, University of Minnesota senior

Are you active in student groups? 

I was a member of Plumb Bob and the treasurer of the AI Club. It’s fun helping to reach out to students concerned about AI and creating programs that show people how to ease into it and better understand its applications.

Tell us about your undergraduate research experience. 

Two summers ago, I did neuroscience research with a University of Minnesota professor who was focused on neuromodulation and interested in why humans make mistakes. Is it because that the information our brains received is poor or is it because of an interference in the brain? I was able to use neural electrical interfaces to scan the brain and to see how the brain reacts to different visual stimuli. 

Tell us about your internship. 

I was recently an intern at Punch Through, a technology development company that works with medical devices. My work included testing and implementing software for embedded devices and systems. 

How do you balance multiple interests? 

In college, it is easy to feel that there isn’t enough a lot of time to do things especially with schoolwork and extracurricular activities. But I think it’s important to make time to do the things you enjoy—or you will burn out. Drawing is my time to wind down, take a pause, and find myself.

Any advice for your peers, or students entering college? 

College is very much an active experience—you get what you put into it. So, you want to expand what you’re doing in it. You could easily just go to classes and go back home and get some studying, and you can have friends. But if you really try to push the boundaries of what you’re doing here, you overall will get a more meaningful experience.”

Interview by Pauline Oo

Support the next generation of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at the University of Minnesota at CSE Giving website.