She empowered me to not only know what to think but to ask the right questions. Modou Jaw: “Over and over, Professor Franklin sat with me to give advice regarding my studies. She conveyed the material in a way that I could see its value in solving problems critical for our society’s future.” I remember her doing everything to help me understand what I was struggling with-working additional problems, providing context, recommending alternative texts. She spent extra time reviewing this material to make sure the fundamentals were understood before moving on. This is equivalent to a musician learning the scales.”Ĭasey Murray: “While I was taking EE 3601, Professor Franklin observed that the students were not meeting her expectations of comprehension of some core material. I am a stickler for learning the fundamentals. These can be challenging because they require advanced math, good understanding of electricity from physics, and the ability to visualize the invisible. Rhonda Franklin: “I teach basic courses and advanced technical electives in radio frequency and microwave engineering. Knowing my interest, she recommended courses and showed why they were important.” Teacher, mentor She helped bring clarity in terms of current jobs, industry outlook, and the importance of research experience. Taking EE 3601 from Professor Franklin, I instantly knew this was the area. I’d really enjoyed physics, circuits, and math, but was unsure what career I could find that would combine them. I remember her joy when she asked, ‘Will you consider continuing school?’ and I said, ‘Yes.’”Ĭasey Murray: “Electrical engineering is a very broad discipline, so understanding which courses to take can be daunting. ![]() ![]() It was hard to believe then, but now it's all clear. Professor Franklin told me that going to school was my chance, and she explained why going to college was so important. I was feeling pressure from my parents in Gambia, because they’d never gone to school and thought it was a waste of my time. She sat me down and looked at me as a ‘mum,’ so disappointed with her kid. I ran with joy to Professor Franklin's office to show her my offer letter. ![]() The most I’d made there was $50 a month, and now companies were offering me $50 an hour, plus thousands of dollars to relocate in California or New York. I came from an impoverished family in The Gambia. I’d learned how to write software, and as a freshman I was offered a job by four different companies. Modou Jaw: “Before coming to the University of Minnesota, I was at Minneapolis Community and Technical College and was an intern at Minco Products, in Fridley, MN. Rhonda Franklin: “Students must first know what the path to success looks like, then a student has to decide for themself that they want to succeed, because the journey can get bumpy.” What follows are reflections by Rhonda Franklin, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and two of her former students: Modou Jaw, who as a junior transfer student pursued a research opportunity under Professor Franklin and Casey Murray, a transfer student who met Professor Franklin in introductory electromagnetics (EE 3601).
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