Jalen Rose is on mission to become the first engineer in his family.  

“I’m in engineering because math was always my favorite subject and the field of engineering always excited me,” he said.

In addition to his electrical engineering studies, Rose is an orientation leader, a W.O.W. counselor, an alternative Spring Break site leader and a student representative at the Admitted Student Receptions.

“It is his demeanor, values, skills, leadership style, and commitment to building positive relationships that truly makes Jalen such an effective leader and a Difference Maker on campus,” said Brendan Gallagher, coordinator for civic engagement.

But his biggest impact on campus has come through his involvement as an Opportunity Scholar, a learning community where community engagement and academic excellence are encouraged and fostered through student-led programming.  As an Opportunity Scholar, Rose has helped implement the OpScholar Mentoring Program and has been involved on the Leadership Advisory Board, in “Welcome Day” festivities and in the Giving Blue Day event.

“I’ve been able to use the program to meet needs in our community and reach other OpScholars who are just starting or wanting to get involved,” he said. “By sharing my experience here and showing others how great this campus is, I’ve made an impact. Leadership positions are great, but just being there isn’t enough—you have to serve as a model for what student engagement looks like.”

His efforts on campus continue to pay off. In 2017, Rose was recognized as an Emerging Student Leader at the Student Leadership Awards. He currently works as a talent ambassador for Talent Gateway and has earned the (M)Talent Maize Designation.