BCoE Student Hall of Fame 2025: Jigar Bhatt

What is your name, age, classification and major?
My name is Jigar Bhatt; I am 21 years old and a senior in computer engineering.

What year did you begin studying at MSU, and when is your expected graduation date?
I began studying at MSU in August 2021, and my expected graduation date is May 2025.

Why did you choose to attend MSU, and why did you choose an engineering field of study?
I chose to come to MSU mainly because of what my brother shared about his experiences as a student here. Inspired by how he could find friends, family, and a fostering environment, I knew I would also find my place here. I’ve always wanted to be an engineer and have had a knack for tinkering and working with electronics. Then, when my brother was here at orientation as an incoming freshman, I could see how engineering at MSU would be the best fit for me. Since then, I have always known that engineering at MSU is the right place for me.

What are your favorite campus organizations you have become a part of?
I have enjoyed being a member of the Bagley College of Engineering Ambassadors since my freshman year. The Ambassadors do a lot of meaningful recruitment work, which I have grown fond of, but my favorite aspect of the organization is the people I work alongside and the students with whom we provide the tours. Every interaction I have had with the people in and around the Ambassador organization has been pleasant and memorable. I have also had the opportunity to be a member of the Students for a Sustainable Campus organization. This group does a lot of work towards making MSU a more environmentally conscious place, and the students of the organization are very passionate about their work. From helping recycle glass to creating climate-conscious gardens and community areas, the SSC has done incredible work in making MSU and Starkville a more environmentally friendly place. I am honored to have been a part of that.

What has been your favorite course at MSU, and why?
My favorite course at MSU would have to be Embedded Systems. Being one of the last classes a computer engineer has to take, this class is quite complicated and contains a lot of complex subject matter. However, it is incredibly interesting, and the labs, projects, and coursework involved with the course use hands-on methods to teach those concepts. Getting to this stage of my undergraduate education, having the opportunity to apply what I have learned so far, and creating functional prototypes and developing industry-standard devices that have real-world use has been a highlight of the course.

Which course has been your most challenging at MSU and why? What was something you learned about yourself after taking that course?
The most challenging course I have taken at MSU is Signals and Systems, a course in the ECE department that all electrical and computer engineers must take. This class focuses heavily on the complex realm of circuit analysis and signal filtration. The class approaches these topics from a theoretical aspect and is incredibly math-heavy. The challenging aspect of the class is that there are very few ways to physically represent the concepts discussed in the class, so there aren’t as many hands-on ways of learning the material. This class taught me the importance of study groups and creating friend circles that are as passionate and willing to learn the material as myself. In fact, I chose the group of students I studied with for this class as my Senior Design teammates because of our shared experiences. That connection that I learned to make from the challenges I faced in this class paid off and directly helped me in my senior year project.

What is one thing you have learned related to engineering during your time at the Bagley College of Engineering?
Through my time at the Bagley College of Engineering, I have gained countless skills and valuable experiences that have shaped me into the engineer I am today. One of the most important skills I have learned is how to conduct research. My various undergraduate research experiences have taught me how to be a researcher, conduct experiments and tests, write about and present my research, and many more skills.

How has MSU, specifically the Bagley College of Engineering, prepared you for professional life after college?
My experiences as an Ambassador, an undergraduate researcher, and an SI leader have given me many opportunities to hone my professional non-technical skills. This would not have been possible without the opportunities provided to me by MSU and the Bagley College of Engineering. My undergraduate research experiences in ECE and ABE have both built my strengths as a researcher and prepared me for my future in academia.

What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to pursue a graduate education in Computational Neuroscience and continue in academia, eventually becoming a professor.

What will you miss most about MSU after you graduate?
I will miss the people, the community, and the ease of access to resources the most. The people at MSU are some of the kindest, good-hearted people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and being friends with. The community of MSU and the greater Starkville area is vibrant and has been incredibly supportive of me and my undergraduate career. Finally, the resources available on campus and the number of people readily available to help with anything have been fantastic and have been a highlight of my time here, which is why I will miss it so much.