Candace McCoy is Ready to Take the Lead

When she first visited NYIT, Candace McCoy knew it was the right school for her.

“I chose NYIT for many reasons. It is a small school with small class sizes, a 14:1 student faculty ratio, a vibrant student life with clubs and organizations, and really generous with scholarships and grants,” she says. “At Preview Day, I was still deciding between NYIT and another school, but after seeing the campus and [meeting with] the student leaders, I knew NYIT would be a place where I would fit in well.”

Having confidence in the school is key, because McCoy will be spending a lot of time at the institution. She is majoring in engineering management with a minor in energy science, and will get her bachelor’s degree in 2018. She will then go on to earn her master’s degree in 2019.

“At first when choosing a major I was undecided between business management and engineering,” McCoy says. “I decided to major in engineering management because it combines the two. I am excited to learn how to be a better leader and learn technical skills at the same time.” McCoy is the youngest in a family of seven children, but that hasn’t stopped her from wanting to take on a leadership role. McCoy says, “My career aspiration is to become a project manager, to lead a team to help make a better tomorrow.”

However, McCoy is not waiting to finish her degree to become a leader. She is active in student life on the Old Westbury campus, where she is enrolled, and is currently serving as the president of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and president of the Society of Women Engineers. She is also a member of the National Society of Black Engineers, a Dean’s Honor Student, and a resident assistant.

The faculty members at NYIT have also inspired her to think big when it comes to her future career. “I was interested in engineering in general, but something that attracted me to the school was when I met the [School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Dean Nada Anid] and she was a female,” says McCoy. “Seeing a female leader in engineering is encouraging to me.” And she is already on her way to a successful career. She is currently working as an engineering aide at ConEdison assisting on a project to convert most of New York City’s energy to solar or wind power.

When it comes to advice for NYIT students pursuing engineering, McCoy suggests they immerse themselves in everything the campus has to offer, just as she has done. “Take advantage of all the resources you have available to you,” she advises. “Use the clean room, do research, join clubs and organizations. Do as much as possible.” And for those going into engineering management, she urges them not to limit their imagination. “The program itself is very broad, which is a good thing. It gives you an overview of many different fields, and you can go into any of them.”