Dr. Jeffrey Marchetta, Mechanical Engineering Alum

Degree(s) 
PhD in Engineering (2002)
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (1999)
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (1997) 

Current Residence
Memphis, TN 

Current Employer 
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Herff College of Engineering
University of Memphis

What influenced your decision to attend Herff College of Engineering? 
The commitment of the mechanical engineering program in providing quality instruction, excellent mentorship, and robust opportunities for research experiences. The graduate fellowship package was generous.

How did Herff prepare you for your career? 
The mechanical engineering curriculum delivered the right balance of depth and breadth of knowledge required for graduating students to be successful in the profession.

What skills or knowledge did you learn throughout the program that you found most helpful in your career? 
Critical thinking and problem solving.

Were you involved in student groups? If so, which one(s)? 
I was a student member and continue to be a professional member of AIAA, ASME, and ASHRAE. I am also an Associate Fellow of AIAA.

What support(s) did you have during your time as a college student? How did you keep focused on the goal? 
I learned very quickly that building peer and faculty relationships was important to my success in a challenging mechanical engineering program. The faculty were accessible and very willing to provide help and guidance. The department provided financial assistance for graduate students to attend both student and professional conferences.

What was your greatest memory from your time at Herff? 
I have fond memories of taking a break from long hours of research work and playing cards with the other graduate students in the lab.

What advice would you give those considering enrolling in Herff College of Engineering? 
The mechanical engineering program at the University of Memphis will absolutely prepare you for a successful professional career. You will have access to full time faculty instructors in all of your courses and reasonable class sizes will ensure you will not just feel like a number. The faculty want you succeed and there are plenty of resources available to you to be successful, if you choose to take advantage of them. Live on campus if you can, so you can be immersed in campus life and have the full college experience.

What do you know now that you wish you had known during your time at Herff? 
I wish I better understood the importance of engineering work experience in building a strong resume while I was in college. Perhaps because of this, I have worked closely with the college intern/co-op coordinator since I joined as a member of mechanical engineering faculty to expand work experience opportunities for our students, integrate soft skill development into the mechanical engineering curriculum, and emphasize to students the importance of work experience as a integral part of their engineering education.

Was your Herff experience worth the price? If you could do it over again, what would you do differently? 
The engineering programs at the University of Memphis were and continue to be one of the great values among higher education institutions in the State of Tennessee and beyond. If I had to do something differently, I would have chosen to pursue an engineering work experience rather than work part-time in a non-engineering job while I was in school. Balancing work, engineering studies, and research was incredibly challenging and I feel I missed out on experiencing campus life and gaining valuable work experience.