What is your next adventure?

In June, I’ll be starting to work at Van's Aircraft in Portland, Oregon as an aerospace design engineer. I'll be designing and testing aerobatic and bush planes. Bush planes can take off and land quickly in like remote areas of Canada or land next to a river.

What about your next adventure are you most looking forward to?

The work is really exciting because all four years of college, I've been part of Design, Build, Fly, which is a club making RC planes and competing. And this is like the real-life version of that. You're building and flying real airplanes. So, it's everything I've wanted to do, and I've been doing for four years. Now I will do it as a career, so that's exciting. And then I'm a big outdoors person, so Oregon's going to be a great place for me.

Did you have any previous co-op, internship, or research experience in this area?

I interned two times, once after freshman year, once after sophomore year. The first one was at GW Lisk; they're a SpaceX supplier. They make solenoids and valves. I did quality engineering there.
And then after sophomore year, I worked at General Dynamics in Connecticut doing systems engineering.

How did your educational experience at Georgia Tech help you to achieve your goals?

I've been at Georgia Tech for two years, so I transferred in Fall 2024. I did my first two years at Clarkston University in upstate New York. I think the biggest thing is Georgia Tech is the largest combination of really smart, interesting people in one place. Getting to be around all these interesting, unique people, makes you a better person. The people are the best part. Also, the teams are phenomenal. I've spent most of my time on the Design, Build, Fly Team because that's what I'm really passionate about.

What advice would you give to an underclassman who would like to follow the same path?

Work hard and stick to what you’re passionate about. When you have passion, the work feels easier, and you enjoy it a lot more. My biggest advice, especially for transfer students, is to put yourself out there. Get involved in as many things as you can and make an effort to meet new people. When you come into a new school, there are endless resources: clubs, classes, and opportunities for just about anything you’re interested in. Take advantage of that. Try to get as much out of the experience as possible, join clubs, meet people, and stay engaged. That’s the best route.