Ryan
Latterell

I am Ryan Latterell, an accelerated Master's student studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Digital Media in the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida. I want to intern at a company that would provide the opportunity to implement my learnings from UCF and Ford Motor Company that is at the forefront of design and engineering, and furthers my professional networking opportunities with like-minded people. My desire to learn, ability to apply human-centered design, attention to detail, and prior experiences demonstrate the qualities of a capable student and candidate.

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I am always looking for opportunities to learn more about anything and everything. This quest has been exemplified in my past two summers at Ford Motor Company, where I have continually challenged myself to learn more about potential opportunities that interest me. My curiosity has led me to network across the company and discover more about Design Engineering, where studio design and engineering prowess come together to produce exceptional products and incredible concepts. Furthermore, my time at Ford has allowed me to dive deeper into Human Centered Design and how I can apply it in my daily life. 

 

The philosophy has extended into my own projects, such as the 3D printed visor clip mount I created using SolidWorks and my Ender 3 printer. My mother gifted me the clip for my Elantra, though the hard plastic visors made for a poor design as the clip kept falling off. Determined to make it work, I designed a visor clip mount for the air vents that would mitigate the accessibility issues caused by the clip when using the hazard switch. I went through three iterations before reaching a design suitable for my needs. I eventually sold the car for a Mustang, but the process still stands as a testament to my attention to design and implementation of human-centered design.

 

These two traits aid immensely in excelling in my engineering and art studies, but not as much as leveraging my prior experiences and connections. The place this is best exemplified is in my mentorship with First Step UCF, a peer mentorship club dedicated to mentoring first-year students, with the primary goal being internships in their freshman year. Working with my five mentees and the leadership team as President has been the most rewarding experience of my college career. It has helped me improve my communication and public speaking skills and discover new ways to help without lecturing. Furthermore, it has given me many opportunities to look back through my experiences, be it my internship at Ford or a random conversation with a peer, to best advise my mentees on navigating their freshman years and beyond. 

 

I believe these qualities allow me to be a quality candidate for an intern in the automotive design space. My technical and public speaking skills would aid in inter-engineer communications and management. Furthermore, my ability to manage multiple involvements within my class and work schedule demonstrates my ability to excel in the quick, adaptive nature that an internship requires. For more information about my education and experiences, please refer to my resume, and feel free to contact me via email or phone. Thank you for your time and consideration.