By Joseph Mathieu
Alyssa Ross’s road to aerospace engineering was a mix of epiphany and encouragement.
Quite honestly, it wasn’t just the aerospace engineering program that stood out to her when she chose to move to Canada for school. Becoming a Faculty of Engineering and Design (FED) Student Ambassador was just as important to Ross and her career goals.
As part of FED’s Outreach and Engagement team, Student Ambassadors provide campus tours, Student For A Day experiences and meet with prospective students and future Ravens to share their experiences about school and life in Ottawa.
It ties in perfectly with Ross’ passion to inspire and bring awareness of the STEM opportunities to girls around the globe. This was a big decision-maker in coming to Carleton.
“Seeing women role models just makes me push harder and drives me to thrive as a woman,” Ross says. “I want to help other students coming to Canada and to have more Caribbeans at Carleton.”
Alyssa Ross, FED aerospace engineering student, at the Discover Engineering and Design event in the GTA in February 2024. The event promotes Carleton’s engineering and design programs to students and their families. Photo provided by Alyssa.
When one Experience Changes Everything
Ross is from Hope, a small village on the island of Tobago in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. She was a very active and successful high-school student who excelled in a wide variety of courses, although Additional Mathematics class was most challenging.
Ross preserved and succeeded, thanks to a passionate math tutor named Joseph Frederick. He provided youth with hands-on experiences and insights into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“Mr. Frederick had ambitions to bring STEM to Tobago,” says Ross. “I never saw myself doing engineering until he really opened my eyes.”
That experience, combined with a fateful visit to the air traffic control tower in Tobago was all it took… Ross fell in love with aviation.
The aerospace systems stream at Carleton caught her eye and she pelted the International Student Services Office (ISSO) with questions about residence, about Ottawa, about life on campus and what the program was like.
“They must have been tired of me,” Ross says playfully, “but they responded kindly and even set up meetings with faculty members [professors] to have conversations. That helped me and my family feel like I was going to be taken care of.”
Leaning Into Opportunities to Lead and Grow
Once she arrived in Canada in late summer 2021, Ross discovered how FED is dedicated to fostering a welcoming, inclusive community that values collaboration from all backgrounds.
“Carleton really pays attention to making sure that everyone is accounted for and engineering is no different,” says Ross.
As a student in the Faculty, Ross actively sought out ways to develop her passions and leadership skills, and mentor young women in STEM along the way.
She knew her first step: to become a student ambassador with FED, using her experience as an international student to teach others in similar positions.
Ross’s supervisor in the role, Hannah Sheridan (an alumna and full-time staff member), has seen Alyssa’s motivation and dedication in real-time at tours and events.
One event in particular was LEAP, FED’s annual weekend event for Ontario women high-school students interested in engineering or IT studies at Carleton.
“Whether encouraging the applicants to connect with one another, Carleton alumna and current students, or helping them design, build and pitch their new creative projects, I see how passionate Alyssa is about being a woman in engineering and a Carleton student,” says Sheridan.
WiE&IT attendees at the last 2023-2024 academic year women in STEM mentorship night held in April 2024. Photo credit: Emma MacEachern.
Another way Ross is honing her skills and preparing for life after university is by taking part in the Women in Engineering and Information Technology (WiE&IT) Program, including its semesterly mentorship nights.
“Carleton recognizes that women can feel outnumbered in STEM and their safe spaces like the WiE&IT Study Lounge [a space for women to build friendships and access graduate-level student academic support] are very appreciated.”
The WiE&IT Program events are excellent ways to network and to potentially land a job, says Ross. They’ve been a unique space where she has gotten to meet numerous women in engineering and IT in a variety of fields and companies too.
3 Tips for Success as an International Student
When asked about advice for prospective international students, Ross gave three tips for success:
Tip #1:
Get in touch with ISSO office to understand all the services Carleton offers international students. Ross encourages prospective students to not be shy to ask questions and put yourself out there.
Tip #2:
She also recommends trying to make friends before you come to Canada. Her friend and now roommate, Toni, was somebody that she saw on the incoming international students’ Instagram page.
“We connected online, and then we had a class together so we chose to do our projects together. Then, we realized we go to the same church. Now we’re roommates!”
Tip #3:
And finally, keep dreaming and working towards the vision and goals you set out with in the first place.
Having completed her third-year, Ross’s goals are to work in the aerospace field and build a career with companies like Airbus, Boeing or—the ultimate dream—NASA. And, of course, return in her role as FED Student Ambassador this fall.
Check out a day in the life of Alyssa Ross to learn more about what it’s like being an international student at Carleton:
Thursday, July 18, 2024 in Experiential Learning, Women in Engineering
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