Daniel Zirkle

Daniel Zirkle is from Union, KY, and is a junior in Mechanical Engineering with a 3.5 GPA. He says the best thing about being a Virginia Tech Engineer is knowing that the university and the fellow students you surround yourself around all want to see you succeed. Daniel says that when he was in middle school, he always dreamed about becoming a computer scientist and creating the next generation AI. Now that he is at Virginia Tech, he dreams about finding the right balance between work in engineering and creating a difference in people's lives through the connections and personal relationships he hopes to build.

Daniel volunteered last summer with several different projects, the largest program was a Habitat for Humanity Restore project. If Daniel could change one thing it would be his engagement with people in his freshman year at Virginia Tech. Being an out-of-state student, he knew nobody coming into college and he wishes he would have reached out more that first year. Being where he is today, he has joined several student organization’s and a design team to find the right people he enjoys spending his time with.

Daniel’s role model is his father because of the many things that he has taught him in his lifetime, from teaching him how to ride a bike to helping him find what he is passionate about and supporting his dream. He says his father is the reason for his success. 

Some hobbies that Daniel enjoys are exploring new areas through hiking, playing football with his friends, and overall being active and engaging with friends and family. His favorite cartoon character is Jerry from Tom & Jerry because of the many funny ways he finds to solve the traps/problems created by Jerry. Daniel’s favorite genre of music is Alternative and his favorite film is Ford v Ferrari.