Laying the groundwork

Being a member of five campus groups, speaking three languages and working on two degrees could be enough to overwhelm anyone, but for sophomore Milie Diop, it’s all a part of the plan. Diop, who is majoring in civil engineering and Spanish, knew what her future had in store before she graduated from high school.

“I know for sure I want to work for a construction company,” Diop said. “What made me choose civil engineering was based on inspiration to help people who live in dangerous conditions in environments that have poor infrastructure. [Studying Spanish] helps me better communicate with Spanish-speaking communities, just like my other languages would with different communities.”  

To achieve these goals, she has made strides at UD to equip herself with the necessary knowledge and skills.

During an event with the Multi-Ethnic Engineers Program last fall, Diop connected with Messer Construction, earning an internship position for during summer 2024 working on the renovation of a building at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“I was doing risk assessment displays,” Diop explained. “There’s a machine we use to test the air inside [a construction site]. If the air is positive, that means it is not safe for the workers to be there.”

She built a connection with the site manager and gained more responsibility on the project, taking on foundational tasks like handling punch-list items — assignments that must be completed before wrapping up construction — and overall enriching her professional work experience before she embarks on her next co-op in fall 2025.

Balancing her homework load with extracurriculars — like being the public relations chair for the UD chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers — is a tall order, but Diop credits being a Flyer Promise Scholar with alleviating some of the stressors that can come with being a first-generation college student. Flyer Promise provides programming support and scholarship opportunities, both of which have made a difference to Diop.

“It’s amazing, being able to do all that,” she said thoughtfully, “to help people.”

“If I did not have Flyer Promise right now, I would probably have gap years,” she said. With the program’s help, Diop can fill her time with classes, clubs and part-time work, rather than taking semesters off to earn money for school.

Flyer Promise’s funding for study abroad programs has also helped, as Diop plans to study in Peru this summer.

“Studying abroad in a Spanish-speaking country has been a dream of mine because I want to become more fluent in Spanish,” Diop said.

Just halfway through college, Diop continues to look toward the future, taking with her all of the experiences at UD that will allow her to make the difference she’s dreamed about for years.

“It’s amazing, being able to do all that,” she said thoughtfully, “to help people.” —Caterina McNamara ’24

A version of this article appears in print in the Spring 2025 University of Dayton Magazine, Page 37. EXPLORE THE ISSUE — MORE ONLINE