Lee Grosbard

JHU Major and Minor: Major – Mechanical Engineering . Minor – Entrepreneurship & Management

Current Profession: Analyst, Constellation Energy Commodities Group

Hometown: New York City, New York

Current Location: Baltimore, Maryland

What student groups were you a part of?

• Mechanical Engineering
• Student Council
• Resident Advisory Board
• Habitat for Humanity
• Research Groups of both Dr. Ben Hobbs and Dr. Charles Meneveau

What was your favorite class and why? Who was your favorite professor? Senior Design Project- it brought everything I learned in college together. Besides knowing your engineering basics, you need to be able to write well, understand the business side of your project and manage project finances, and most importantly, work well in a team setting. It also forces you to be responsible and stay organized since there are so many elements of your project that you need to be on top of if you want to succeed.

My favorite professor was Dr. Ben Hobbs who I did research with my senior year on the energy industry. He’s extremely knowledgeable, well-respected and experienced, but was the most down-to-earth, easy-to talk-to professor I came across.

Where is the best place to buy textbooks? The best place to sell them? Order of preference (for both buying and selling)

1. Older students / friends

2. Google Shopping

3. Campus Bookstore

Where was your favorite place to study? Hands down in the Hut in Gilman. I get very claustrophobic so anything past M-Level in MSE was not a great option. Gilman has lots of natural light and is just a beautiful place to sit and not feel depressed when you are swamped with work.

What is your best advice for building/maintaining a relationship with a professor/TA?Participate in class with good questions and comments. If you are actively engaged in your class, even if it is a large lecture. Your professor will at least recognize your face, if they don’t know your name. Then, if you go up to them after class they will be more receptive to you approaching them and will remember you. While the obvious answer to maintaining a relationship with a professor is seeing them during office hours, email them as well, and provide them feedback and be grateful. A thank you email or just a genuine comment that shows appreciation always seemed to go a long way with professors.

Where should 2016s turn for professional advice? I went to the career center early and often starting in my freshman year until I landed my full-time offer the fall of senior year. Dr. Presnell is the best resource there. He’s very knowledgeable about lots of different industries and career paths and makes sure you are efficiently spending your time looking for jobs and internships.

What was your favorite internship/professional experience? How did you find it? My best experience was my internship with Constellation Energy. I was one of approximately 130 interns with the company in the summer of 2010, and I worked hard, made sure I got noticed, learned a lot, and ultimately landed a full-time front-office position even though I did not intern in the front-office. I found the internship position through a posting on the Hopkins career website, applied online, and things worked out.

Where is the best place to live on campus? Where should new students avoid? I loved the AMRs. AMR II Griffin House will always be a place very dear to me. Everyone leaves their doors open, and it’s very easy to meet lots of people and find a social circle early on. All types of personalities live in the AMRs too, so you’ll definitely find a group you mesh well with. I’d avoid living in Wolman. It is nicer than the AMRs, but you’ll have the rest of your college time to live in a nicer building, and you’ll never experience something like living in the AMRs if you don’t do it freshman year.

What was the most useful item you brought with you to campus? What didn’t you need? Freshman year it was a fan. AMR II is not air-conditioned and Maryland is hot and humid in September and May.

I brought a TV but I really didn’t need it. You’ll hopefully have very little time to watch TV anyways and have better things to do!

How should 2016s get to know their new roommates? Be friendly, smile and keep your door open. Participate in any group activities that you can and join student groups that you are interested in. This will help you find people you share things in common with, and that you will naturally get along with well.

Where is the best place to eat on campus? I always liked Silk Road, but freshman year I lived in the Fresh Food Cafe. It is a great value, and there are a lot of varieties to choose from on a daily basis. Plus, it fosters a great social environment where you can build on your new friendships and meet new people.

What’s the best DIY dorm food? Peanut butter sandwiches were my go to food. They are really easy to make, only require a couple ingredients, and fill you up if you don’t have time for a full meal.

What campus tradition should 2016s not miss being a part of? I would take part in all of them. Your college experience will be so much better if you are actively engaged By participating in and embracing campus traditions, you will not only leave college with more memories, but you will also meet people you probably wouldn’t have, and have a broader, more diverse social circle.

Are there any Hopkins terms/quirks 2016s should learn prior to heading to campus? Make sure you leave early in the day to lock down a study spot during finals season. It is always tough to find an optimal study spot and the best ones fill up fast. You’ll study better if you are in the good environment/spot.

What’s the best way to stay informed and up-to-date on activities and opportunities? Make sure you read through emails sent from the school, and use Facebook. Don’t be shy about showing up to events, and if you have any questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to and ask event coordinators for more details. If you build a broad, diverse group of friends, you’ll be more likely to hear about different opportunities.

What’s the best campus/student resource? Upperclassmen are probably your best resource. If you are in a fraternity or sorority it is very easy to meet upperclassmen, but if not, by joining student groups you’ll meet upperclassmen that way too. They can offer you the best advice on what classes to take and avoid, where to live, where to eat, and what to do and where to go out at night.

What should 2016s do to get the true Baltimore experience? Baltimore has lots to offer even though it gets a bad rap sometimes. You have to avoid certain neighborhoods that are not the safest places to be, but you should definitely check out the Inner Harbor, go to Orioles games, and visit Fells Point and Federal Hill (although this is better when you are old enough to go to the bars). Mrs. Shirley’s is a classic place to get breakfast and lunch, especially if you have access to a car, and if you want a good restaurant to go to when your parents visit, try Woodberry Kitchen in Clipper Mill. The JHMI is a great way to get around for free to places like Mount Vernon and the train station, and you can also always find cabs to get around the city.