Mechanics Bank Cal Poly Student-Athlete of Week: Adil Bir Singh
11/10/2020 9:15:00 AM | Men's Golf
Editor's Note: From September through November, student-athletes from each of Cal Poly's fall-season teams will be highlighted through the Mechanics Bank Student-Athlete of the Week series. Representing a variety of majors, each Mustang interviewed about their careers and studies is a member of the Fall Big West Commissioner's Highest Honors list (soccer, cross country, volleyball, tennis and golf), Big Sky All-Academic Team (football), Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete Team (wrestling) or Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Academic Team (swimming and diving) or has landed on the Dean's List or President's List at Cal Poly.
Adil Bir Singh, a junior academically and a redshirt sophomore athletically, from Chandigarh, India, is in his third year on the Cal Poly men's golf team. As an electrical engineering major, Adil has made the Dean's List at Cal Poly four times and the President's List once. He also attained Highest Honors on the Big West Commissioners list last year. Adil recently took some time to discuss how he balances being a full-time student while also competing as a Division I student-athlete.
Q: You chose electrical engineering as your major. What led you to decide upon that field of study, and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: Problem solving is something which has always come easy to me and hence, I have always enjoyed subjects like science and math. Coming into school, I wanted to do something related to engineering which would allow me to get into product development further down the road. Electrical engineering gives me the opportunity to learn about how hardware and software interact with each other, giving me the tools required to develop new electronic equipment. I definitely enjoy doing projects where professors ask us to design and build new devices.
Q: You've proven to successfully balance both academics and athletics at a high level. How do you do it, and what are the keys to that success?
A: Honestly, it is extremely difficult balancing the two and often leads to me functioning on less than 3-to-4 hours of sleep. Being on top of your coursework and doing things early are always helpful, but hard work and long hours are the only way to succeed in both departments. For me personally, prioritizing golf and academics is the most important aspect, as once you do so, it is easy to say no to other distractions which are a part of being a college student. I would give credit to my parents for this trait as they instilled this discipline in me from a young age.
Q: What's been your favorite class at Cal Poly, and why?
A: I would have to say it was EE329 (Programmable Logic and Microprocessor Bases System Design). This class was probably the hardest class I have ever taken, but it was also the most satisfying and educational by the end of it. The class had projects which asked us to build electronic devices like a digital lock and a boom barrier.
Q: Who has been your favorite professor at Cal Poly, and what made him or her stand out as an instructor?
A: I have been lucky to have had some great professors at Cal Poly till this point. However, I would have to say that Dr. Amin Malek is my favorite. He truly believes in the Learn by Doing philosophy of Cal Poly and, even though his classes were a lot of work, I always felt like I had learned a lot from him over the course of the quarter.
Q: Do you have any plans for your senior project yet? If not, do you have plans or hopes for any summer internships coming up?
A: Yes, I do have something in mind for my senior project. I am trying to finish my proposal at this point and honestly am really excited about working on it. I'm hoping to intern this summer and have applied to companies for a role as a hardware engineering intern. My main goal is to see how it is to work as an engineer in the real world and to learn and absorb as much information as I can.
Q: Also, what are your career goals for after playing sports?
A: Coming off a very serious injury last year, this question is a tough one to answer. However, I still believe that I can turn professional and compete for majors after I graduate from college. I enjoy competing more than anything else and that is what I missed most when I was injured last year. Even though I want to turn professional, I also want to study to be an electrical engineer and get into product development when I stop competing.
Q: Can you share with us some of the differences (and perhaps difficulties you've encountered) in adjusting from your education in India with that at Cal Poly?
A: Honestly, I believe high school in India prepared me for the challenge of playing golf and studying electrical engineering. The real difference that I have noticed is that quarters go by very quickly and, unlike high school back home where you had time to make up what you missed while traveling for tournaments, it's much harder to do that on the quarter system.
Q: Also, besides academics, how has your experience in California been for you? Are you enjoying your time here? Any difficult situations?
A: I have loved every minute of it till this point. The team has a great culture where everyone feels included from the first time that someone walks through the doors of this program. There are always ups and downs and my injury last year was tough on me, but my team, the donors and the whole athletic as well as medical staff really helped me get through it and I am truly grateful that I have this sort of a support system around at Poly.
Q: What advice would you give to future generations of student-athletes hoping to succeed in college while playing sports at this high of a level?
A: There are no short cuts. Hard work and commitment to your goals give you the best chance at success.
Adil Bir Singh, a junior academically and a redshirt sophomore athletically, from Chandigarh, India, is in his third year on the Cal Poly men's golf team. As an electrical engineering major, Adil has made the Dean's List at Cal Poly four times and the President's List once. He also attained Highest Honors on the Big West Commissioners list last year. Adil recently took some time to discuss how he balances being a full-time student while also competing as a Division I student-athlete.
Q: You chose electrical engineering as your major. What led you to decide upon that field of study, and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: Problem solving is something which has always come easy to me and hence, I have always enjoyed subjects like science and math. Coming into school, I wanted to do something related to engineering which would allow me to get into product development further down the road. Electrical engineering gives me the opportunity to learn about how hardware and software interact with each other, giving me the tools required to develop new electronic equipment. I definitely enjoy doing projects where professors ask us to design and build new devices.
Q: You've proven to successfully balance both academics and athletics at a high level. How do you do it, and what are the keys to that success?
A: Honestly, it is extremely difficult balancing the two and often leads to me functioning on less than 3-to-4 hours of sleep. Being on top of your coursework and doing things early are always helpful, but hard work and long hours are the only way to succeed in both departments. For me personally, prioritizing golf and academics is the most important aspect, as once you do so, it is easy to say no to other distractions which are a part of being a college student. I would give credit to my parents for this trait as they instilled this discipline in me from a young age.
Q: What's been your favorite class at Cal Poly, and why?A: I would have to say it was EE329 (Programmable Logic and Microprocessor Bases System Design). This class was probably the hardest class I have ever taken, but it was also the most satisfying and educational by the end of it. The class had projects which asked us to build electronic devices like a digital lock and a boom barrier.
Q: Who has been your favorite professor at Cal Poly, and what made him or her stand out as an instructor?
A: I have been lucky to have had some great professors at Cal Poly till this point. However, I would have to say that Dr. Amin Malek is my favorite. He truly believes in the Learn by Doing philosophy of Cal Poly and, even though his classes were a lot of work, I always felt like I had learned a lot from him over the course of the quarter.
Q: Do you have any plans for your senior project yet? If not, do you have plans or hopes for any summer internships coming up?
A: Yes, I do have something in mind for my senior project. I am trying to finish my proposal at this point and honestly am really excited about working on it. I'm hoping to intern this summer and have applied to companies for a role as a hardware engineering intern. My main goal is to see how it is to work as an engineer in the real world and to learn and absorb as much information as I can.
Q: Also, what are your career goals for after playing sports?
A: Coming off a very serious injury last year, this question is a tough one to answer. However, I still believe that I can turn professional and compete for majors after I graduate from college. I enjoy competing more than anything else and that is what I missed most when I was injured last year. Even though I want to turn professional, I also want to study to be an electrical engineer and get into product development when I stop competing.
Q: Can you share with us some of the differences (and perhaps difficulties you've encountered) in adjusting from your education in India with that at Cal Poly?
A: Honestly, I believe high school in India prepared me for the challenge of playing golf and studying electrical engineering. The real difference that I have noticed is that quarters go by very quickly and, unlike high school back home where you had time to make up what you missed while traveling for tournaments, it's much harder to do that on the quarter system.
Q: Also, besides academics, how has your experience in California been for you? Are you enjoying your time here? Any difficult situations?
A: I have loved every minute of it till this point. The team has a great culture where everyone feels included from the first time that someone walks through the doors of this program. There are always ups and downs and my injury last year was tough on me, but my team, the donors and the whole athletic as well as medical staff really helped me get through it and I am truly grateful that I have this sort of a support system around at Poly.
Q: What advice would you give to future generations of student-athletes hoping to succeed in college while playing sports at this high of a level?
A: There are no short cuts. Hard work and commitment to your goals give you the best chance at success.
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