Engineering Technologies with Kyle

Transcript

Let’s catch up with Kyle, a first-generation college student who is taking advantage of Shawnee State’s nationally recognized engineering programs, and it’s low student-to-faculty classroom size. In fact, he’s one of many students pairing multiple majors together to make himself more attractive when entering the workforce. Kyle, the floor is yours. Please take it away.

– Thanks for the intro, Alex. What’s up everyone? Coming from a family that had never seen the doors of a college, they were ecstatic to hear I applied to Shawnee State University. It felt like the right choice, given the location and the student-to-professor ratio. Shawnee is also one of only three plastics engineering technology programs in the nation that is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technologies, so it was a no-brainer. Once accepted, I figured why not run with the idea of college and get three degrees? Being first-gen means I didn’t know what to expect from college, but you don’t feel like a number here. You feel like family. Our engineering programs don’t just teach. They help place you in work environments through internships, personal learning endeavors, and hands-on experiences with industry and machinery. Social aspects are just as broad here, and if you don’t find a club that fits you, you’re encouraged to create it. I’m the vice president of the Society of Plastics Engineers on campus and the president of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. TKE has taken me to Colorado for leadership training and Memphis to see the impact our fraternity support has on St. Jude and the families that they serve. Shawnee has given me instrumental experience towards my future career in so many ways. The labs here use the same technology that you find in the industry and have given me hands-on experiences in plastics operations, additive manufacturing, electrical and robotics. Past that, I’ve had three internships as a student, working in automotive to medical industries. Because of Shawnee State University, I feel more than prepared for the real world. Thanks for your time, and back to you, Alex.

– Three degrees? Kyle, that’s incredible. Finding the support system as a first-generation college student to tackle your career goals is important, which is why Shawnee State offers several resources to aid students, including the First Generation Mentorship Program. Thanks again for sharing, Kyle. That was cool.