- Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Company: Honda
- Graduation Year: 2026
- E-mail: dmistry1@vols.utk.edu
Profile
I am a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering. I had the opportunity to co- op at Honda. I completed a double-term rotation with them at their Alabama Auto Plant (AAP). I am a huge car nerd, and that is why I chose mechanical engineering. I was very fortunate to have this co-op because it came so early in my college path. When I accepted my offer with Honda, I was halfway through my first semester in college. To this day, I am still amazed by how I was able to land such a fantastic opportunity with a major vehicle manufacturer.
Nonetheless, I am extremely grateful to work at AAP. I was part of their New Model Body Team, where I got to experience Honda’s quality work. My department worked with upcoming vehicles and ensured quality parts were being received from suppliers. I traveled to multiple suppliers, conducted part inspections, and ensured the parts produced met the drawing specifications. Since the parts were for prototype builds, they needed to be perfect. My role was to assist my co-workers in their tasks. My manager believed I shouldn’t just spend my time doing one thing, so he would let me shadow team members and learn from them. I was also assigned a project to create a way to track part numbers as they are updated. For each prototype build phase, part numbers are updated accordingly. To create a tracking system involved a lot of coding. For me, that was the toughest part. There is a reason I am majoring in mechanical engineering and not computer science. However, I got a lot of help from co-workers, and fortunately, my manager was very supportive throughout the process. I am very glad I was able to finish the project, and now my tracking system is used in all new model departments across all North American Honda plants.
My future goal is to intern at other car manufacturers and learn their processes. I always knew I wanted to work in the automotive industry, but my focus was not clear. After spending six months at Honda, I am able to narrow down my area of interest; however, I believe there is still so much for me to experience. I want to be well-versed in the engineering world and then make an impact in the industry. Luck played a pivotal role in my journey with Honda; however, in hindsight, I believe I made the most of the opportunities given to me. If I could give you one piece of advice, I would say to believe in yourself and chase after opportunities. The possibilities are endless.
I am a huge fan of Vol Nation. I love going to football, basketball, and baseball games. I am a die-hard fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Redbull Racing F1 team. In my free time, I enjoy playing pickleball and I am trying to convince myself to start running again.
Go Vols!
