�Ӱ�ԭ��

Angela Mercaldi �Ӱ�ԭ��25 knew she wanted to both study engineering and compete in from the first time she stepped onto the University of New Haven�Ӱ�ԭ��s campus.

�Ӱ�ԭ��I always found myself drawn to math and science,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��Taking engineering classes in high school confirmed that it was what I wanted to do.�Ӱ�ԭ�� That, paired with her older sister�Ӱ�ԭ��s success as a chemical engineering student at the University, gave Mercaldi confidence in her decision. �Ӱ�ԭ��My sister had great internships and got a job right after graduation. She�Ӱ�ԭ��s living proof the University could set you up for a bright future.�Ӱ�ԭ��

also played a major role. �Ӱ�ԭ��I wanted to do track and field in college, and meeting the coaches here made it feel like the perfect fit,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. Between the academic programs and the supportive team environment, Mercaldi knew she had found her place.

What she didn�Ӱ�ԭ��t know then was that her time at the University would lead to a series of internships at , a worldwide leader as an aerospace designer and manufacturer, and eventually a full-time job offer as a manufacturing engineer. �Ӱ�ԭ��My motto has always been to be a sponge and absorb as much as I can,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��I wanted to separate myself from the pack.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Mercaldi landed her first internship with Pratt & Whitney in 2022, thanks in part to a resume workshop hosted by one of her professors. �Ӱ�ԭ��At first, my resume just had summer camp counselor positions,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��But the workshop helped me highlight my strengths as a student-athlete and an engineering student.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Mercaldi began her time at Pratt & Whitney as a quality engineering intern, where she supported the materials control lab and gained exposure to aerospace regulations and post-manufacturing processes. Eager for more hands-on experience, she returned the following year as a manufacturing engineering intern, working on the F-135 military engine line.

�Ӱ�ԭ��I helped troubleshoot an old machine that wasn�Ӱ�ԭ��t producing the quality we needed,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��I ran experiments and research to improve the process so the part could pass inspection. It was challenging but really rewarding.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Through it all, she made a point to build relationships. �Ӱ�ԭ��At Pratt & Whitney, they tell you right away that networking is everything,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��I�Ӱ�ԭ��d get lost walking the shop floor (it's massive) and those moments turned into conversations with people who ended up becoming my mentors.

�Ӱ�ԭ��I loved meeting everyone there,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she continued. �Ӱ�ԭ��They were very respectful of your learning and very supportive of your education.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Balancing engineering coursework and intercollegiate athletics shaped Mercaldi in meaningful ways. �Ӱ�ԭ��Being a student-athlete helped 100 percent,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��It pushed me to manage my time, stay disciplined, and work through both mental and physical fatigue. I never saw time as an enemy. I just made time for what mattered.�Ӱ�ԭ��

That mindset carried her through personal challenges as well. She arrived on campus recovering from a serious knee injury. �Ӱ�ԭ��I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve had four knee surgeries, and I�Ӱ�ԭ��m going on my fifth,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��Freshman year was not my happiest. I made it through, and now I�Ӱ�ԭ��m proud to say I�Ӱ�ԭ��m happy, I have a full-time job, and I was captain of the track team.�Ӱ�ԭ��

She credits head coach for helping her stay motivated. �Ӱ�ԭ��She always recognized when people were putting in the work,�Ӱ�ԭ�� Mercaldi said. �Ӱ�ԭ��She became a mentor and a friend, and she even asked me to help recruit other female engineers into athletics.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Faculty support also made a signficant impact. �Ӱ�ԭ��Ismail Orabi, Ph.D., my capstone professor, always had faith in me,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��He, along with my capstone partners, made me feel like I could be a standout student. They helped shape my journey. I wouldn�Ӱ�ԭ��t have made it without them.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Mercaldi started her full-time role with Pratt & Whitney in June. After a summer of intense training, she�Ӱ�ԭ��ll begin work as a coating manufacturing engineer within the company�Ӱ�ԭ��s Manufacturing Engineer Development Program.

�Ӱ�ԭ��It still feels surreal,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she admitted. �Ӱ�ԭ��Imposter syndrome definitely kicks in. But I know I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve worked hard to get here.�Ӱ�ԭ��

She�Ӱ�ԭ��s most excited about building a community within her career. �Ӱ�ԭ��I already know many of the other full-time employees from my internships,�Ӱ�ԭ�� she said. �Ӱ�ԭ��I�Ӱ�ԭ��m looking forward to seeing how far we can go together.�Ӱ�ԭ��

As for the future? Mercaldi hopes to pay forward the mentorship she�Ӱ�ԭ��s received. �Ӱ�ԭ��One day, I want to be the one helping someone just starting out, telling them about my journey and guiding them through theirs.

�Ӱ�ԭ��The best thing I�Ӱ�ԭ��ve learned is, �Ӱ�ԭ��Don�Ӱ�ԭ��t count yourself out,�Ӱ�ԭ���Ӱ�ԭ�� she continued. �Ӱ�ԭ��We�Ӱ�ԭ��re our own biggest critics, but when you take a step back, you realize how far you�Ӱ�ԭ��ve come.�Ӱ�ԭ��

Angela Mercaldi �Ӱ�ԭ��25 was a Mechanical Engineering major in the Tagliatela College of Engineering.