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Bric Balmforth

Hometown: Pocatello, ID

Major: Mechanical Engineering

High School: Century High School

What were some of the extracurricular activities you participated in while at ISU?

I was the vice president for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Honors Program. I was also a member of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, and the National Society for Collegiate Scholars. And, I participated in the IEEE Extreme Programming Challenge.

Why did you choose your major?

I started off as a computer science major. I thought I wanted to be a programmer. Then I took an intro to engineering course, and during that class there was a presentation about the smart prosthetic hand project that was going on at ISU. Then I met Dr. Schoen and Dr. Perez and I decided to go with Mechanical Engineering. I have found that I like robotics, so for me it was a great fit.

Why did you choose ISU and what makes you glad you did?

In 2005 when I started I was deciding between ISU, Utah State and University of Utah, but I had a four-year scholarship to ISU. I am glad I picked ISU because of the faculty. They have helped me get to where I want to be. I also really like that the professors teach the classes and not the graduate students. With the smaller class sizes that ISU offers, it was easier to get to know the professors. They also get to know you and what your goals are.

What did you find surprising about college life?

Studying. In high school, I never really had to study. But in college, I couldn't do that. Things were a lot more rigorous and intense when it came to studying and homework. I had a lot of late nights. College was a rocky start, but I eventually got used to things. Going on an LDS mission helped me learn how to study and I applied those skills to academics.

Do you have any advice for freshmen?

Work hard and play hard. College is a lot of fun but it also takes a lot of dedication. If it's a party for four years you end up paying for it financially and professionally. But if you spend too much time with your nose in the books, you never really enjoy the college experience.

Career goals:

I am planning on attending graduate school at the University of Utah for my PhD. After that, I want to get into a research and development company for prosthetics.