“Horses have always been a part of my life, so continuing to ride in college was important to me. What actually convinced me to come to USC was my official team visit. It showed me the whole campus, and I got to learn all about the engineering program. USC checked a lot of boxes for me: great schooling, because that's my No. 1 priority, a great athletics program and a beautiful location. I came to USC not knowing anyone, which was difficult at first, but I quickly connected with the equestrian team members. Even though we may all be different, we have a bond through our love of the horses.
“Whenever I tell people I’m majoring in mechanical engineering, I usually get a big reaction. At a Gamecock women’s athletics event, I was speaking to about 200 people, and when I mentioned my degree, I could hear the whole audience do this little gasp. I’m never sure if that reaction comes from me being a woman or from engineering itself, but it always catches me off guard. To me it feels normal, but hearing those responses reminds me how meaningful it is. It makes me proud to be a woman in STEM, and I feel lucky to pursue both academics and athletics here at USC.”
— Ruby Voortmeyer, a senior mechanical engineering student and member of the equestrian team
To learn more about Ruby's time at USC, check out her full story and accompanying video.