By Fatima Magana '22

ALLIANCE- As a little girl, Emily Borroni ’25, biomedical engineering major, was intrigued and fascinated with prosthetic body parts. After learning how these are made, Borroni dedicated her academic studies to science-related courses and hands-on projects. When deciding to attend college, Borroni read about biomedicine and its combination with engineering, deciding her career path.

“When I would see someone with a prosthetic arm or leg, I’d point it out, and when my parents explained to me what they were and what their function was, I became fascinated with prosthetics,” said Borroni. “I not only want to make prosthetics but help people who need them.”

Acknowledging that being a female in a STEM-related field brings out people’s judgmental characteristics, Borroni explained that she also wanted to follow in her dad’s footsteps by pursuing an engineering degree. Therefore, after graduating from Mount Union, Borroni wishes to pursue a master’s degree to begin building her career as an engineer and one day be the owner of a company.

“Looking for both biomedicine and engineering academic programs seemed endless because not one school offered both, but Mount Union combined the two, which is why I decided to pursue my academic career, here,” said Borroni. “I’ve forged relationships with my professors which have allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the engineering field.”

The School of Engineering organizes a class trip abroad, offering students in the engineering program a real-world experience to gain expertise with global business, immersing themselves in another culture. This spring, Borroni was one of 25 people to travel to London and learn about engineering from a different perspective.

“The trip to London was amazing,” said Borroni. “We toured the University of Bradford, which has the largest department of engineering, as well as visit the Diamond Light Source Synchrotron.”

Wanting to offer efficient prosthetic body parts to people in need of them at a lower cost, Borroni hopes that her experience in STEM inspires young girls who want to follow the same path by showing them the immense passion she devotes to her career.

“College is harder than high school and while I’ve learned to ask for help- going to tutoring and the DWOC, I stand out as a female in STEM thanks to my hard work and my involvement on campus and student organizations,” said Borroni.

Make sure to mark your calendars to hear stories like Emily’s at this spring’s School of Engineering visit on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Register at https://www.mountunion.edu/engineering-visit