Global Graduate: Manasa Maddila

Manasa Maddila, Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Tell us about yourself.

Hey there, Wolfpack! I’m Manasa and I am extremely thrilled to announce that I am graduating from NCSU with my Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. I feel extremely proud to be graduating from a prestigious and diverse university. I was born in India and brought up in Israel and Greece, and moved to the U.S. to do my Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering back in 2015. I started off at University of Michigan, and frinished my degree from Illinois Tech in Chicago, before moving to North Carolina to pursue my Masters from NCSU. I am thankful for all the experiences and people I have met in my entire journey of 2 years at NC State. NCSU will always have a special place in my heart and I am grateful for having the opportunity to study here. I am extremely thankful for my wonderful parents and friends who have supported my the entire time and it is truly an honor for me to be graduating from NCSU today!

How was your experience at NC State University?

Where do I start? My experience at NCSU began even before the first day of class in Fall 2019. Why? Because NCSU was a dream of my best friend and I for years. My best friend studied at NCSU and graduated with his Masters degree while I was in Chicago finishing up my Bachelors degree. His time at NCSU was so amazing and filled with extraordinary friends and experiences that it got me super excited for my time at NCSU as well! From Hunt library, Talley Student Union, Carmichael gym, Wolfline, Packapalooza, to many more events/places that truly had to be felt by yourself to have the real experience/feel of the campus. All this was happening while I awaited my decision from NCSU for my Masters degree. And voila! I got ACCEPTED on MY BIRTHDAY in 2019! A dream come true! And ever since I moved to NC, I made sure to attend every single event on campus, be active, use the immense number of resources available to us and just cherish every single day on campus. I attended Packapalooza, I went to watch basketball and footbal games, I attended on-campus events, I worked on-campus, free food events, to free tshirts, I enjoyed every single moment of my time at NCSU. Especially, the food variety, mexican, indian, italian, chinese, thai, japanese, african, you name it, there’s a place for it around campus! And what more do you want when there is STARBUCKS on-campus? My day started and ended with Starbucks! And when in a mood to try something Starbucks-like, there’s Port City Java! My all-nighters wouldn’t have been successful without Mocha Shake from Port City Java! And it was all these things/events/places that my best friend wished I could experience too and now that I have, I know exactly what he felt and why NCSU holds such a special place in his life just like it does for me today. I will cherish my time at NCSU forever! And today, I am proud to graduate from NCSU with my Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, and I am thankful for the faculty, OIS, and many other departments for my success at NC State University! I feel proud to be part of the Wolfpack Alumni! Go Wolfpack!

What would you say is your biggest accomplishment during your time at NC State?

The entire experience as a whole! It’s truly a life-changing experience!

What are your plans post graduation?

I will be working full-time at Amazon.

Do you have any advice for current or incoming international students?

Be ready for the ultimate adventure of your life! Take part in events and use the valuable resources available to you! Make the most out of everything on-campus!