UC co-op student pursues passion for cars

Grove is a fifth-year mechanical engineering student in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, where students take part in cooperative education, or co-op. UC pioneered this educational model more than a century ago combining classroom instruction with full-time employment with an employer in the student’s chosen field.

UC co-op students work with partners across industry, government, nonprofit organizations and the university while continuing to make progress toward their degrees.

Grove’s first two co-op rotations were at Honda, where he got to work in several departments.

“I was lucky to be brought in as a first-year student. I was put into the testing department for ride and handling,” Grove said. “I was able to learn about vehicle dynamics and how to evaluate a vehicle’s ride and handling.”

When he returned for a second rotation, he joined the brakes team, where he contributed to testing and development.

“They were working on a new project with a short deadline. It showed me what a co-op can really mean for you,” he said.

“It was a lot of responsibility. I was working on a project that was going to be used on people’s actual cars,” Grove said. “I felt like a member of the team, not like an intern.”

Grove said he works hard to maintain good grades, no small feat in a demanding major. He picked mechanical engineering at UC because he appreciated how limitless its career potential is across industries.

“Mechanical engineers are very much a Swiss Army knife. We have to be able to do everything,” he said.

Students learn about electronics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, kinematics and a variety of other topics that are applicable to solving real-world problems.

“I really liked testing. I liked performing an experiment, collecting data and figuring out why it did that,” he said.

And that’s an important way engineers at carmakers make improvements in performance and durability, he said.

Grove was mentored by UC Assistant Professor Educator Christopher Calhoun, who said students who earn a mechanical engineering degree at UC pursue careers across industries from energy to technology at both private and public employers.

“Engineering is a way of thinking and doing things that transcends technical fields,” Calhoun said. “UC tries to give you the technical skills to address problems and provide optimal solutions.”

Most students complete five co-op rotations before graduation, giving them a chance to learn more about their career preferences.

“They have a strong resume when they apply for full-time employment,” Calhoun said.

The extended work experience also helps many students build professional networks, explore different industries and transition more smoothly into full-time careers after graduation.

Grove said he wanted to pursue a career in the automotive industry. So he devoted some time in UC’s Experiential Explorations Program to learn more about the career opportunities available in the industry.

“I did a lot of research on automotive companies in the United States. I learned everything about every automotive company — where they were and what they did,” he said.

That’s how he applied to Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, based in Long Beach, California, where he works as a powertrain test engineer intern. He said he got valuable experience learning about emissions controls and powertrain performance.

“The people here are incredible. Everyone I work with is specialized. They’re so good at what they do,” he said.

As a high school student, Grove wasn’t sure he wanted to pursue engineering. A talented musician, he was considering studying trumpet instead. But he said he thinks he made the right decision.

“I want to work in the automotive industry. This is my passion.”

Featured image at top: UC College of Engineering and Applied Science student Sam Grove hopes to turn his passion for cars into a career. Photo/Provided