Kiani Sheppard: Engineering an Exciting Future
After an impressive career at Prairie View A&M University, Kiani Sheppard will be graduating summa cum laude with an exciting offer at Raytheon Missile Systems lined up for the fall.
While pursuing a BS in Mechanical Engineering, Sheppard was a part of PVAMU’s Women’s Golf Team, Women in STEM, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society), and NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers), in addition to completing two summer internships with Raytheon. Her first internship in 2018 focused on thermal analysis, followed by a summer that emphasized mechanical design in 2019.
“They were the best experiences I could have ever had. None of my family has an engineering background, so to be able to go do real engineering work at such a huge and diverse company really opened my eyes to the possibilities,” Sheppard reflected. “I loved both of my internships and cannot wait to go back in the fall full time.”
Sheppard’s commitment to excellence made PVAMU a natural choice.
“PVAMU has both the drive and resources to help you succeed,” she said. “It helped me get opportunities that I could not have at any other university. I got specialized one-on-one help in my major courses when I needed it, which helped me successfully interview for, acquire, and complete two industry internships. It is a place that pushes you to your limits by showing you all that you can be.”
In addition to her internships, Sheppard was awarded the departmental “Most Outstanding Mechanical Engineer of the Year” award three years in a row and was named MVP of the Women’s Golf Team as a freshman.
During her final year at PVAMU, she was part of a team that designed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for the summer RoboSub competition. Together, with her five classmates in the Society of Underwater Technologies, and advising Professor Chang Duan, Ph.D., she worked on creating a device that could complete tasks, such as maneuver through an underwater obstacle course and manipulate objects, all without human intervention. Such a project has exciting applications in deep-sea exploration, advancements in shipping, and, most relevant for Sheppard, defense and research developments.
Sheppard expressed gratitude to everyone who helped make her journey a success with an extensive list of accomplishments behind her and an exciting future ahead.
“I would just like to thank my parents and family for all of their support; they are my rock. I would also like to thank my professors, department heads, deans, and support staff. They were amazing throughout my entire career and really helped me become the engineer I am today.” she said.
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By Marley Crusch