How did NMSU prepare you:

NMSU’s Surveying Engineering Program (now Geomatics) is no doubt one of the very best in the United States and during my tenure had amazing professors that, for me, remain life coaches. Prior to graduation, I was recruited by Leica Geo-systems to help build western market share. Then, working as a Senior Land Surveyor for Xcel Energy, I supported electric infrastructure expansion in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. My start to professional licencor in numerous states was completing my NMSU degree. I’ve had many successes in my life and currently am pretty happy with where my career has taken me. It is so difficult to explain how much this degree, program, professors and profession as a whole has positively impacted my life. I have a very fruitful life and everything in my life is enriched because of this decision I made several years ago at a critical time in my life.

Advice:

As future/current Engineering Technology students I would recommend pursuing career options that you find the most intriguing. Always say yes to any opportunities that come your way.

Responsibilities and Success:

Currently, as Director, Power Delivery at Westwood Professional Services, we create solutions for companies expanding our nation’s power grid, all over the nation. These opportunities have come my way because of a rare specialty in today’s world called the Professional Land Surveyor, notably being the true land professional.

How did NMSU prepare you:

Education and problem‑solving skills:
A degree from the program resulted in 6 job offers upon graduation and continuous full‑time employment since then, a testament to the program.

Networking and character:
Transitioning with a few Carlsbad High School peers helped the college transition process, and making new friends with students/staff from other regions expanded my network. I remain in contact with many friendships grown while at NMSU. The dorm, class, and lab environment developed a better sense of team building and how to work with others.

Internships:
Many employers hire NMSU engineering students midway through the program. My 7‑month paid internship at Cummins Diesel offered insight into industry’s evolution from 2D to 3D design, and the experience gained undoubtedly increased job offers at graduation.

Time Management & Responsibility:
Coming from a low‑income household, working while attending NMSU was necessary to minimize student loan debt. The reasonable tuition ensured I didn’t have to work a 40‑hour week while being a full‑time student. Managing classes, study, work, and budget required many adjustments. Access to inexpensive dorm and meal plan options early on, along with on‑campus student services, greatly helped the transition into adulthood.

Advice:

Your career and life outside your career are largely influenced by relationships, which are influenced by your communication skills. It may be outside your comfort zone, but find opportunities to improve communication skills, network, and build comradery with others.

Minimize student debt and pay it off early after graduation — it becomes more challenging once mortgages and family enter the picture.

Give back to society. Think of those who helped you along the way. It doesn’t need to be financial — a little of your time goes a long way and is incredibly rewarding.

Responsibilities and Success:

Responsibilities include leading multidisciplinary design and development efforts throughout my career at Raytheon and LANL, lately in systems engineering. I’ve worked with subject‑matter experts in mechanical, electrical, software, and optics engineering; material science; physics; and production agencies. A broad systems understanding and policy awareness has led to increased interactions with senior management within and outside LANL, including national‑level policymakers in Washington, D.C.

I’ve been fortunate to receive 25 honors and awards, including:

• Five National Nuclear Security Administration Defense Programs Excellence Awards — one of NNSA’s most prestigious honors
• R&D 100 “Oscar of Invention” Award for valveless laser processing technology
• U.S. Patent #7,047,801 for the design of a Guidance Assembly Test Station
• Raytheon Excellence Award — the company’s highest honor

Clubs, Competitions, and Extracurriculars:
Employed as an Engineering Assistant at NMSU’s Advanced Manufacturing Center.

How did NMSU prepare you:

The MET program gave me a great head start in life. I am forever grateful for the professors and their willingness to help me understand engineering theory as well as guide me through internships and career decisions.

Advice:

As future/current Engineering Technology students I would recommend pursuing career options that you find the most intriguing. Always say yes to any opportunities that come your way.

Responsibilities and Success:

Currently supervising a rig reactivation campaign, constructing a drilling rig package on a production platform to perform a plug and abandonment project of 30 wells offshore in California. I currently serve as the interface between engineering and field team to ensure the project is completed within tolerance.

How did NMSU prepare you:

NMSU — and especially the ET Department — was pivotal in my success as a professional. Many of the things the ET Department taught me that helped me include:

• Textbook knowledge through lectures and exams
• Ethics
• Honesty
• Hard work
• Integrity
• Practical application through labs and hands‑on learning
• Interviewing skills and how to speak to your strengths
• How to develop an amazing résumé

Advice:

You get out of your education what you put into it. Find smarter people than you to study with. Go to the professors when you don’t understand something — ask them questions. We truly have the best professors who want to see you succeed.

Responsibilities and Success:

As a Tooling Engineer, I work with customers to design and develop tools that help build missiles. I am currently in the process of obtaining a patent for one of the tools I created.

Clubs, Competitions, and Extracurriculars:

I was the Elders Quorum President in my local church, where I completed 10–15 hours of service each week helping families move, clean, and get meals. I also have six children that my wife and I homeschooled and taught.

How did NMSU prepare you:

The Mechanical Engineering Technology program at NMSU provided me the foundation needed in engineering principles to perform detailed design and analysis work in electrical avionics equipment cooling, manufacturing engineering production layout, design, and integration. It also served as a base for further education in Systems Engineering. In short, NMSU prepared me for the practical application of engineering in the Aerospace industry.

Advice:

Learn to recognize that the engineers of the past are why you are here today. With the right attitude and will, you will rewrite your engineering career every day.

Give every assignment your best, accept and leverage constructive feedback, and improve your best by making it better.

The hardest part of a problem is not knowing what the variables are. Asking what you don’t know will help you solve almost any problem.

The best recognition you will ever have is a good night’s sleep on the last day you leave your old job behind you. If you weren’t exhausted by your previous assignment, you didn’t try hard enough.

Operating competitively with little regard for collateral damage leaves you with enemies, not friends. Focus on teamwork.

Don’t give up on your passion for the perfect engineering job — but be honest with yourself about where you want to live and raise a family. These two things will help you decide where to start your career.

Responsibilities and Success:

Currently, I am the Boeing Global Services (BGS) Engineering Skill Leader for Boeing’s Engineering and Technical workforce in Washington State, and the Systems Engineering Skill Leader for all BGS locations in the United States. I also oversee Engineering Management responsibilities for Customer Engineers supporting fleet and airline modifications for all in‑service Boeing aircraft.

I serve as the BGS Business Unit Focal for Boeing’s engineering hiring initiatives through external technical affiliations including SWE, SHPE, NSBE, ASES, and others, as well as university recruitment.

I supported the Electrical Systems Responsibility Center as Manufacturing Engineering Manager for wire bundle manufacturing and assembly (2017–2018).

Between 2015–2017, I was the Engineering Multi‑Skill and Systems Engineering Skill Team Manager for Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), helping establish common best practices across BCA Engineering.

Starting in 2011, I was Engineering Manager for the 777 Future Production Systems Team, defining the future production system layout for Mid‑Bodies, Wing Body Join, and Final Assembly — enabling dual build for the 777 and 777‑9X.

In 2007, I was recognized by the Director of Airplane Performance for applying Systems Engineering principles to Lean Manufacturing on the 777 Moving Line.

In 2004–2005, I worked as a Process Engineer on the 747 Production Line supporting a design change to the fuel inerting system — the first production aircraft certified to meet SFAR 88 compliance.

My first assignment at Boeing was as a Mechanical Systems Engineer responsible for the Electrical and Electronic Cooling System on the 767 and 747 models.

I received my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from NMSU in 2001 and my M.S. from the University of Missouri–Rolla in 2009. I was born and raised in Gallup, New Mexico.

Clubs, Competitions, and Extracurriculars:

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers

Advice:

From the moment you step on the University, start building up your résumé. Join clubs related to your career path and, most of all, spend every summer working on an internship.

Responsibilities and Success:

I have worked on installation of over 1,500 MW of wind energy generation. I am responsible for developing, executing, and managing the Quality Plans as well as facilitating continuous improvement.

Clubs, Competitions, and Extracurriculars:

NMSU Concrete Canoe, NMSU American Society of Civil Engineers, NMSU Engineers Without Borders (now Aggies Without Limits), NMSU Association of General Contractors, Society of Women Engineers, and NMSU College Assistance Migrant Program.

How did NMSU prepare you:

NMSU taught me how to think outside of the box, ask the right questions, solve technically challenging problems, know when to step back and assess my solution, and lastly, how to be a proud Aggie!

Advice:

Use your time in school to make mistakes, ask questions, learn as much as possible, and don’t forget to enjoy life!

Responsibilities and Success:

My main responsibilities include interpreting construction drawings, completing submittal document assessments, creating and reviewing RFIs, reviewing ASIs, scheduling subcontractors, sequencing work, and BIM coordination. I also use critical thinking skills to provide unique solutions to mitigate change order issues as they arise.

Additional responsibilities include detailed cost estimates and quantity take‑offs, on‑site quality control checks, surveying tasks to ensure elevation requirements are met, assisting in construction layout and control, ensuring on‑site safety, and performing engineering calculations when required.

I continually monitor and maintain the project budget, serve as the primary point of contact and problem solver for all on‑site issues, and perform activity identification and sequencing to ensure project efficiency and critical path alignment.

My career accomplishments include multiple professional internships during my undergraduate degree, earning my Master’s through the Civil Engineering department at UNM, obtaining a sought‑after position as a Project Engineer with Bradbury Stamm Construction (the largest general contractor in New Mexico), passing the FE, and being accepted into the Engineer in Training program — the first step toward becoming a Licensed Professional Engineer.

Clubs, Competitions, and Extracurriculars:

Steel Bridge & ASCE Competition Team, AGC Competition Team

How did NMSU prepare you:

It gave me a leg up on the competition because I came from a recognized engineering program. The biggest tool CET gave me was the ability to make informed decisions by identifying problems and challenges, evaluating solutions and cost/benefit, and implementing the chosen option.

Advice:

Pass the FE!

Responsibilities and Success:

Manage the contract maintenance program for District 1 to ensure prudent use and expenditure of state resources. This includes short‑ and long‑term planning based on current state funding levels.

Responsible for planning and project development of contract maintenance projects within program budgets. This includes utilizing MMS and PMS data to determine the correct scope of work and treatment type, developing cost estimates, obtaining project and control numbers, securing clearances, determining wage rates, and ensuring funding is encumbered.

Responsible for coordination of project contracts, ensuring each project has sufficient staffing, facilities, and equipment. For each project, ensure compliance with NMDOT construction guidelines, office procedures, contract specifications, and procurement rules.

Responsible for approval of payment based on percentage of work performed. This requires inspection and acceptance of work performed in compliance with contract specifications, and review of invoices against accepted work.

Develop Statewide NMDOT and District 1 price agreement contracts. This includes developing contract language, specifications, and bid items, and coordinating with the District, State Maintenance Bureau, Procurement Services Bureau, and General Services Division.

Accomplishments: Construction Project Manager for the I‑10/I‑25 System‑to‑System Interchange; helped develop the NMDOT Asset Management Plan and Pavement Management System.

Clubs, Competitions, and Extracurriculars:

AGC, bidding competition, E‑Week, and intramural basketball.