Problem solver

Courtney McCarthy had three options she was considering for her studies at Dalhousie: accounting, pharmacy and engineering. She loved math and science and knew she wanted to be part of a technical program. “I wanted to be a problem solver,” says Ms. McCarthy. “I found out engineering is really cool.”

A driven leader within the Faculty of Engineering, she recently received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Dalhousie Undergrad Engineering Society and was awarded a Gold D, recognizing her elite level of involvement in campus life over the course of her university career.

Her journey to Dal began in her hometown in Enfield, N.S. She spent her early years at Dal, attending summer camps on campus and an Open House during her final year in high school. She was drawn to the Faculty of Engineering by the opportunities in the field.

“I love engineering because it’s so broad and challenging,” says Ms. McCarthy. “I want to go into project management. It’s a stable field.”

Ms. McCarthy has dedicated herself to giving back to the community. “My community raised me. I knew it was time to give back.” She is the president of the Civil Engineering Society and vice-president of logistics for the Atlantic Engineering Competition 2012. Ms. McCarthy’s proudest achievement is her work as a peer mentor.

She is one of 10 to 15 women graduating from the civil engineering program. In a typically male-dominated field, Ms. McCarthy works to attract more women into engineering. This year she was a member of the Women in Engineering Committee and attended the National Conference on Women in Engineering (NCWIE). “It was a wonderful experience. It’s nice to be with female engineers and get a female perspective of the industry.”

Following graduation, Ms. McCarthy heads to Hatch Mott MacDonald, an engineering consulting firm in Cornerbrook, N.L.