John Sheely is counting down the days to May 10, when he'll walk across the stage at the U of A, biological engineering degree in hand and a full-time job already locked in. For this graduating senior, the road to a rewarding career didn't begin after graduation, it started in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, where hands-on opportunities, expert mentorship and top-notch career preparation turned his goals into reality.

"Picking biological engineering is the best choice I have made in my life. And not just because of what I learned, … but also because the environment was so great," Sheely said.

Sheely chose to study biological engineering at the U of A because of the department's reputation for giving students the skills they need to design sustainable systems to positively impact the world.

"I wanted to work to fix the environment by doing broad-scale design that leaves a lasting impact," Sheely said.

During the summer between his junior and senior years, he landed an internship within the department under the guidance of associate professor Becca Muenich. He tackled real-world projects like using ArcGIS Pro to show that Northwest Arkansas needed better stormwater infrastructure, applying the problem-solving skills from his classes.

"This internship helped to familiarize me with software that I will use in my future jobs, learn about file types, how data is sourced within mapping software and gathering data from local areas," Sheely explained. This experience strengthened his skills and paved the way for a job offer.

Burns & McDonnell, a leading engineering firm, offered Sheely a full-time role during the first semester of his senior year, impressed by expertise gained from his internship.

The department offers a launchpad for students like Sheely, who are eager to make a difference — backed by a proven track record of over 95% of graduating seniors securing jobs or graduate school placements.

"I am excited for John's future; seeing our graduates fulfill their dreams is so rewarding. John will begin a long career of meaningful work, and I can't wait to see the impact he will have," said Terry Howell Jr., Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department head.

For Sheely, the department was instrumental in giving him the career-ready skills to succeed.

"Almost every single class in this major has a group project. … I am so familiar with working in a group and going through the design process and building something," he said.

That experience, paired with his internship, has him ready to start at Burns & McDonnell in July, working in the transportation department creating innovative infrastructure solutions — a role he credits to the program.

As Sheely begins his career at Burns & McDonnell, he's a testament to the U of A's Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, where students gain the skills for a successful and impactful career.