Hi! My name is Suraiya Shiwnarain, and I am pursuing my Master’s in Mechanical Engineering
with a Thermal Fluids track. My resume may look cohesive, but my path to get here has been
anything but linear.

When I was younger, I wanted to be an anesthesiologist because I searched “highest paying
job” on Google, and that was the first profession listed. So, naturally, I joined the Medical and
Finance Academy at Boone High School. I eventually realized that I did not feel called to
medicine or finance, despite being pretty good at the latter. Instead, I found myself drawn to
STEM and leadership. I led both the SECME and Neuroscience Clubs in high school, with both
clubs competing at UCF, and eventually decided to major in Physics (even though I had failed
my AP Physics exam).

I joined Compass in college, and it gave me a space where I felt supported in not having
everything figured out. That ended up being especially meaningful because I changed my major
several times. After my first semester, I switched to Aerospace Engineering, stayed in the major
for two years, and then ultimately switched to Mechanical Engineering. I graduated in May 2025,
worked in industry, and returned to UCF in January 2026 to begin my master’s degree.

Since starting college, I have worked with companies including Siemens Energy and Viable
Engineering Solutions. Along the way, I have also held a surprisingly wide range of jobs,
including dance fitness instructor, dishwasher, youth program developer, bank teller, and much
more. In many ways, my career path has been just as winding as my academic one, and I have
come to appreciate that each experience has taught me something different about what I value
and what kind of work I want to do.

A few things that are interesting about me: I can touch my nose with my tongue, I love the
outdoors, swimming, biking, painting, and dancing, and I genuinely enjoy bathing my dog. Most
importantly, I love fostering meaningful relationships, whether that is with my family, friends,
community, mentors, or mentees. :