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Luke Myers
21 October 2016
General Education Reflection
During my time at Iowa State University I have grown tremendously. Yes, I have
grown in my knowledge of mathematics, physics, and technical skills- all of which are necessary
to pursue a career in the field of electrical engineering. However, my time at college has also
greatly broadened my perspective on life, increased my ability to think with clarity and precision,
and helped me learn how to relate to and work with others. Any engineering career (with the
possible exception of an individual contractor) will require one to work alongside others as a
quality member of a team. As an electrical engineer, I would aspire to promote team unity while
making individual contributions that are important to the overall success of the team.
I owe much of my personal development to the general education courses I have had the
privilege of taking while here at Iowa State. One such course was a philosophy class on logic and
scientific reasoning. While I have always sought to use rationality and logic while thinking
through mathematical, scientific, or engineering problems throughout my education, it was good
to learn about the fundamentals behind my reasoning skills and heighten my ability to think with
clarity. The direct application of those skills to an engineering career goes without saying. Being
able to utilize reason is important not only when solving complex engineering problems but also
when dealing with difficult situations that may arise in social contexts, whether they are
situations with fellow employees or clients.
One particular course I took that was important for my social development was a
leadership class that focused on various leadership styles and strategies within a diverse society.
Not only did the class serve to broaden my perspective on the rich diversity of culture and people

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in our nation and around the world, it also helped to open my eyes to the importance of learning
how to understand other people so that I can interact with them appropriately. Out of all the
leadership styles I learned about in that class, one that has stuck with me is that of servant
leadership. In servant leadership, you lead by seeking to serve those around you in the hopes that
they will do the same. As a Christian, I find this strategy of leadership particularly significant as
it reflects the teachings of Jesus Christ, who sought to lead by serving others and taught his
followers to do the same (cf. Mark 10:41-45). Servant leadership is something I have sought to
apply in the personal relationships I have had the privilege of building during my time as a
student and is something I would like to continue to implement beyond college.
Another course that was valuable to my education is the technical writing course that I
was required to take as an electrical engineer. This class was important for the sheer fact that it
taught me how to apply my writing skills to documenting technical work. Since technical writing
is an integral part of any engineering work that I might be doing, the skills I learned in that class
make up an indispensable part of my portfolio. I learned much more than how to perform proper
documentation in that class, however. I also learned how to work on a team with people from
different backgrounds and majors than my own on a topic I was not familiar with. The main
project for the course consisted of composing and presenting a technical description, and I
personally worked with two other students throughout the semester to complete a technical
description documenting the recycling program at Iowa State.
Far from being a superfluous addition to my technical courses as an electrical engineering
student, my general education courses have played a significant role in my development while
attending Iowa State. They have helped me to stretch my thinking skills as well as increase my
ability to relate to and work with others. I am grateful for the experiences I have had while at

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college, and I hope that I will be able to apply what I have learned in the work place and
throughout the rest of my life. The need for reason in and documentation of ones work will
never disappear, and neither will the need to be able to work successfully with others.