"When I first came to college I was more anxious about school than I had ever been in my life. I felt like I needed to be the best or else others would judge me or see me differently. The ELLP showed me a supportive community that didn’t try to tear me down when something didn’t go perfectly but tried to uplift me during both good and bad moments. The ELLP has consistently shown me this wonderful community and as I am in my third year I am so glad I got to meet so many people in the ELLP! The ELLP helped shaped my college experience and as a Peer Mentor for the ELLP now, I hope to recreate the experience I got for others!"

-Devin Mays

"I remember when I first came to UK, I was nervous about leaving home, meeting new people, and figuring out where I fit in as an engineering student, especially coming from out of state. The ELLP quickly gave me a community I could rely on and introduced me to friends, mentors, resources, and the many opportunities that helped make UK feel like home. A lot of my best friends now stemmed from the people I met in my dorm and peer mentor group, most being engineering students. Over the years at UK, I’ve grown much more confident in myself and became involved in several organizations and leadership roles across campus. Being able to return to the ELLP, right where I started, as a Peer Mentor and helping incoming students be comfortable with a new college lifestyle has been one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience"

-Nathan Ariseo

"Coming into UK, I knew I wanted to be involved in engineering, but I wasn’t sure what that would look like or where I would fit in. The ELLP gave me a place to start! Through the people I met and the opportunities the program introduced me to, I became more involved in the Pigman College of Engineering and more confident in the path I was building for myself. Now, as I enter my junior year, I’ve had the opportunity to take on leadership roles, explore different areas of engineering, and return to ELLP as a Peer Mentor. One of my favorite parts of ELLP has been seeing how a community that helped me find my place can now give me the chance to help someone else find theirs."

-Taylor Boone

"Coming into college, I didn’t know exactly what clubs or activities I should get involved in. Being an out of state student, not many of my high school peers went to UK. During move in day, I was immediately relieved to meet all of the friendly faces involved with the engineering LLP. Throughout my freshman year, I went to many of the events that the ELLP has to offer, such as resume labs and engage with an Engineer where you get to meet industry professionals and hear about their career journey. I would go to these events with other engineering friends living in Pigman Hall, and having a smaller community at a larger university was amazing! As I walk through the engineering buildings, I can recognize staff and students from every corner of the room who I know want me to succeed in engineering!"

-Sarah Koetter

"Choosing to live in the ELLP my freshman year was the best decision I had made for my first year of college. I made friendships with girls on my floor who I stayed up late at night with finishing assignments and became some of my biggest cheerleaders in the midst of all first year engineering has to offer. My roommate in the ELLP remains to be one of my greatest friends in college and our time in the dorm is a time I will cherish forever. Having the opportunity to be a peer mentor and get to see freshman enter this next step is so special and feels full circle for me!"

-Abby Quinn