Get Career-Ready with: Evan Carter '26, Civil Engineering Major

Meet Evan Carter '26

Major/Program: Civil Engineering
College Activities: Point Park Baseball Team
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
High School: Allderdice High School
Dream Job: Working with the state (PennDOT) and having a successful career as a civil engineer involved with everyday design and construction
Hobbies & Interests: Hunting, fishing, being outdoors, sports, spending time with friends and family and celebrating the holidays

"What I enjoy about the engineering program are the professors and the effort that they put into helping us achieve success. They are kind, incredibly helpful and committed to inspiring us to become better people in and out of the classroom."

Evan Carter '26

Why did you choose Point Park University?

I chose Point Park because I wanted to stay close to home and get a great education at the same time. Point Park offers some of the best classes and degree programs that you can ask for. I also chose Point Park to play baseball at the collegiate level and to meet and play with athletes from different states and countries.

What do you like about Point Park’s civil engineering program?

What I enjoy about the engineering program are the professors and the effort that they put into helping us achieve success. They are kind, incredibly helpful and committed to inspiring us to become better people in and out of the classroom. They incorporate their real-world experience into examples for classroom instruction. If you have a question about the coursework or need anything, the professors are easy to connect with and eager to help. Even during class, professors will take the time to help you one-on-one. My favorite courses so far have been Strength of Materials, Properties of Materials, Intro to Surveying and Intro to Engineering.

Which faculty members have had a significant impact on you?

Yan Liu, Ph.D., P.E., has helped me since day one with my classes and making sure I am comfortable and doing well on and off campus. In his classes, he treats us equally with utmost respect and makes sure everyone is learning and having fun. You can tell he loves teaching. He wants all of his students to enjoy coming to school, and he does a great job of ensuring that.

Robert Garson, Ph.D., P.E., is also a great professor. He has a lot of experience in and out of the classroom. He teaches you what you need to know to enter the field and how it will benefit you in the real world.

@pointparku Let Evan Carter '26 bring you behind the scenes of what it's like to get career-ready at Point Park as a Civil Engineering major! Full Q&A at pointpark.edu ✨ #GRWM #GetReadyWithMe #PointParkUniversity #PointParkU #CivilEngineering #EngineeringTikTok #EngineeringTok ♬ original sound - Point Park Univ.

How has your involvement with athletics enhanced your college experience?

Overall, it's been a great experience, even though my schedule feels a little crazy at times. Going from classes to practice and back to classes can feel like a lot, but it also teaches you life lessons on managing responsibilities and helps you grow into a well-organized, strong individual. I'm learning how to overcome challenges, cope with losses and persevere to gain more success.

I love that I get to meet new people from different states and countries. Especially on a team, you get to know the people around you in a different way than just having classes with them because you practice, play, travel, sweat, lose and win together. The best thing about sports at Point Park is that we are all one big family. I've met some of my best friends here. Hanging out, practicing every day and living with each other builds a bond that lasts forever.

Tell us about your internship with PennDOT and what you enjoyed about it.

My internship with PennDOT was a great opportunity to experience the real-world events of engineering and how the skills I'm learning transfer from the classroom into the field. I joined PennDOT in the summer of 2023 and worked on a couple of projects with professional engineers of the state. Every day was different. For example, on the construction side of PennDOT, there are so many aspects that must be observed by state workers to confirm that the form of work is correct and meets the expectations of state and government rules and regulations. I woke up every day knowing I would learn something new and develop my knowledge. Meeting lots of experts in various roles benefitted me so much. I never felt left out, and they made sure I was learning new things daily and staying safe in project zones.

As a Pittsburgh resident, what are the must-see places or must-do activities you would recommend to a new student?

Visit Mt. Washington's overlook. It offers the best view of the city, no matter the weather. Even being from Pittsburgh, I don't think that view ever gets old. Visit the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium and the National Aviary. We're lucky to have both right here in Pittsburgh. Check out Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins games to take in the atmosphere of Yinzer Nation and experience the love that Pittsburghers have for their sports teams.

How is Point Park helping you to become career-ready?

The great people at Point Park, from faculty and staff to my classmates and teammates, are helping me to become career-ready. I don't feel pressured by schoolwork, and I'm able to get help when I need it. It doesn’t matter what major you are studying at Point Park; all students, professors and counselors are ready to help each other. They want you to be successful. Point Park offers resources, professors and degree programs that are one of a kind.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

My advice to new students is don’t be scared to meet new people and make friends. Finding students who have the same hobbies or interests is easy at Point Park with all of our on-campus clubs and activities. With Point Park's downtown location, there is so much to explore. I recommend getting involved in campus organizations because that will help you in and out of the classroom. You'll learn how to balance school and other commitments while learning new things.

Get Career-Ready with: Evan Carter '26, Civil Engineering Major Student Profile