Michael Ramella - University of Pittsburgh

Engineering 0715: Engineering Applications for Society Michael Ramella
My name is Michael Ramella, and I am a second semester freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. I am originally from the Philadelphia, Pennslyvania suburan area, and graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School in Collegeville, PA, which is about a 35 minute drive to the city. My hobbies and interests include playing music, learning and speaking German, watching television, playing all kinds of sports, and being with friends and family. I always like to learn something new each day, and I feel that a day is wasted if I have not done something worthwhile to better myself as a person. I am an extremely loyal person, which also includes being loyal to my roots. I am a diehard Philadelphia sports fan, and I can guarantee you will never hear me say “yinz” or “pop.” I chose the University of Pittsburgh for its great education, and the opportunities that the University presents in Co-op education, undergraduate research, and internships. Pitt’s Honors College is a very important and beneficial part of the University, and its presence helped me to decide on Pitt. At Pitt, you can also take courses that interest you, instead of being confined within your school and major, like at other major colleges and universities. Finally, I knew I wanted to come to a college in a city, because I like to feel like I am in the middle of everything, which the city of Pittsburgh provides for me. I chose engineering when I was trying to think of a major to write on my college applications. I tried to combine the things that I loved, which were chemistry and building things, and I arrived at Chemical Engineering. I feel I have made a good choice, as I am thoroughly enjoying my undergraduate coursework so far. I feel at home at Pitt and in my element while doing engineering coursework, so I still intend to declare my intent to major in Chemical Engineering this spring. Additionally, because of my love of German, I have decided to continue studying German, and hopefully will get a Certificate in Germanic Languages and Literature.	Lake Cayuga, NY - August, 2006
Service Learning Project - Disability Resources and Services (DRS) About the Project Team Project - Currently, there are disability shuttles that run between locations on campus. However, there is no way know which shuttle to take if one wants to go from point a to point b. Our project is to develop an online computer program to assist the DRS with recommending University of Pittsburgh shuttle bus selection for University community members to get from one location to another. Community Partner - DRS is a department within the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, and is located in RM 216 of the William Pitt Union. According to their website, The DRS "shares with you, the student, the responsibility for creating equal access toward achievement of your academic goals. In short, the DRS aims to make the lives of disabled students at the University of Pittsburgh as painless and normal as possible. Team Members Jennifer Huling Adam Niederle Michael Ramella Christopher Simmons Additional Links Disability Resources and Services - This is the home page for Pitt's Disability Resources and Services. Disability Shuttles - This link goes to Panther Central, and it gives the necessary information and regulations to schedule a ride through the DRS. National Council for Support of Disability Issues - The National Council for Support of Disability Issues is dedicated to advancing the success of people with all types of disabilities. DisabilityInfo.gov - DisabilityInfo.gov provides online access to resources, services, and information available throughout the Federal government.
Site last updated: January 15, 2008