Alumni Profile
Shikha Chetal

Civil Engineering '08

With her father working as a civil engineer and her mother working as a math teacher, engineering seemed like a natural choice for Shikha Chetal. She chose Davis for its cutting-edge programs and the opportunity to get involved in professors’ research, even as an undergraduate. However, even with the mentorship of her parents, it took Shikha awhile to find her own footing in the engineering world.

Because the College of Engineering provides such a variety of challenging majors for its students, Chetal strongly believes in taking the time to decide on the right one. “You’re going to hate it unless you love it. There has to be a drive behind your major, otherwise you’ll be lost among the many choices. Don’t be afraid to spend the time searching for a major you love.”

Though she entered the university as an aeronautical engineer, it wasn’t until she got involved on the campus with organizations like Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Students for Environmental Education at Davis (SEED) and participated in a year-long environmental internship program that Chetal was able settle on civil engineering.

Though she has always had a passion for engineering, Chetal credits her opportunities outside of the classroom with helping her find the major that she loves. By getting involved with a huge variety of activities both on and off-campus, Chetal has found her stride as a civil engineer.

With an environmental focus to her civil engineering degree, Chetal plans to spend the spring of her senior year in Washington D.C., participating in an exchange program with the American Society of Engineering Education. This three-part program with ASEE will allow Chetal to intern in the capital while taking a class on environmental law and policy and writing a related research paper as she finishes her degree.