Todd Coady wanted more out of college than a degree or two. He wanted to make a difference and maybe change a few lives. He ended up changing 96 of them.
After three years at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Coady came to Washington University in St. Louis in pursuit of an engineering degree as a participant in the School of Engineering & Applied Science’s dual-degree program. He is a candidate for a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering May 18.
A week after arriving at WUSTL, the Jarrettsville, Md., native found himself at a meeting of the campus chapter of Engineers Without Borders, which was looking for an international service project to get behind.
Coady related to the group his earlier experiences with the Mekelle Blind School, located in the southern tip of the Saharan Desert in Ethiopia, which was in dire need of water for drinking and agriculture, a common problem in that part of the world. Coady’s passion for the school’s students made it the overwhelming choice.