At Florida Tech, we understand that the ultimate goal of attending college is to secure a rewarding career. That’s why we’re proud to say that many of students do just that—oftentimes, before they graduate.
Let’s hear from some of our most recent engineering graduates who were honored at the spring 2024 commencement ceremony May 4. Their success is a testament to their hard work, dedication and the valuable education they received at Florida Tech.
Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Leonardo De La Rosa ’24 accepted a position as a maintenance supervisor at Abbott. With the combined experience of completing three internships over the course of his undergraduate degree, he was offered the position while attending a Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers National Convention.
“I have been privileged to complete three internships during college, and every internship gave me a return offer for either a full-time position or another internship. I believe that one of the key factors in getting any position is connecting well with the interviewer, and I recommend always interviewing in person. Most candidates have similar backgrounds and résumés, so connecting with your interviewer can be a way of getting an edge on the hiring process. As an engineering student at Florida Tech, every class I had built off the previous one. I really liked my Modeling Dynamic Systems and Theory of Machines classes. It glued everything together for me, and I began to understand the important engineering principles.
My position is very related to my degree and gives me a more than adequate head start into how machines work and how to manage people. Student clubs have also helped me outside the classroom and have been equally as influential in my preparation.
I advise incoming students to be patient. I started my academic career not having a GPA over 3.0. Even though I was denied internships in my first two years, I was extremely patient, kept working hard and went to professors’ office hours. Having these experiences as I now enter my professional career, my ultimate career goal is to either have my own company or become a VP of engineering at a company. I realize that to achieve this goal, I must put in a lot of work and effort, but I know that is tangible, and I have the skills and personality to do it.”
—Leonardo De La Rosa ’24, Mechanical Engineering
Earning a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering, Colby Scott ’24 will officially be a naval architect at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, beginning in August. Scott credits Florida Tech’s Society of Ocean Engineers club for the internship opportunities—which led to the offer—and the leadership experiences he gained on campus, which prepared him to succeed in those internships.
“Having accepted a job offer before I graduate is a huge weight off my shoulders. What sealed the deal on Carderock wanting to hire me was the initiative I took in learning new things and my ability to form valuable relationships with both other interns and staff members. My coursework gave me the background I needed to apply for internships confidently, and my leadership experiences on campus, especially in Greek Life, prepared me to succeed in an environment surrounded by project teammates and senior staff. I was very much still in my own shell when I enrolled in Florida Tech, but I advise new students to step outside of their comfort zone, particularly in the social aspect. By becoming involved in campus organizations, I developed social and leadership skills, and I truly believe that was where I stood out to employers.”
—Colby Scott ’24, Ocean Engineering
What also began as an internship for Sherie LaPrade ’24 has developed into a full-time position as a mechanical engineer with a.i. solutions, a contractor at NASA-Kennedy Space Center, on the ELVIS 3 contract. The job is a shift for LaPrade, who earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering with a focus in astronautics, but she attributes the aerospace fundamental classes, senior design and her involvement in Florida Tech’s branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) for preparing her to success in the new role.
“It is very exciting and a huge stress relief to have been offered a job before graduation! I’ve been working for a.i. solutions since my internship with them last summer, and it has been going very well. I love the unique work I’ve been doing in support of NASA’s Launch Services Program and really like the people I work with. The position draws a lot from what I learned so far, but being in a mechanical engineer position, it is a bit different from my degree. But I like the challenge and being put somewhat out of my comfort zone. Since the work I do involves a lot of analysis and mechanical comprehension, I can definitely say the aerospace fundamental classes gave me a good foundation, as well as mechanics of materials, structural design and the concepts taught throughout senior design. In addition, learning to work with and develop designs in CAD and to read and understand engineering drawings has been incredibly helpful! I think what really convinced my company to hire me was my dedication to the work I have been doing coupled with my enthusiasm and performance.
My ultimate career goal is to continue at NASA-Kennedy in some capacity, supporting the Launch Services Programs as I do now or to transition to direct Launch Operations Support.
I picked Florida Tech because of its location on the Space Coast and because it had a unique combination of programs. I knew I also wanted to pursue a master’s degree in space systems engineering, and I loved the program they offered here. The biggest opportunities I’ve had to learn and to grow as a student, and some of the best experiences I’ve had during my time at Florida Tech, came when I put myself out of my comfort zone and took a bet on myself that I could do the thing!”
—Sherie LaPrade ’24, Aerospace Engineering
Continuing the internship-turned-job-offer trend, Matthew Ninesling ’24 turned his passion into his career. After completing a coastal engineering internship with Jacobs, he was offered an entry-level coastal engineer position—at the start of his senior year!
Ninesling acknowledges the integral role Robert Weaver, ocean engineering and marine sciences associate professor, played in helping to focus his passion and the experience he gained in Florida Tech’s coastal engineering lab to develop the skills needed to become a coastal engineer. He has not officially earned a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering with a minor in sustainability.
“Having accepted a job offer going into my senior year allowed me to focus on my classes and projects without the stress of job searching. I was expecting a job offer at the end of my internship because it felt like I had meshed very well with the coastal engineering team at Jacobs and performed well during my internship. I worked in the coastal engineering lab during my time at Florida Tech, which developed my knowledge and rounded out my education. The lab functioned as a place where I could learn and practice new skills, like data analysis with MATLAB and computational fluid dynamics modeling. Additionally, Dr. Weaver was integral in helping me develop the skills and knowledge I needed to become a coastal engineer. I knew I wanted to combine my passions for engineering and the ocean, so Florida Tech’s program was perfect for me. I think my visual passion for coastal engineering and my technical skills sealed the deal for Jacobs wanting to hire me.”
—Matthew Ninesling ’24, Ocean Engineering
