When Julia Hatfield signed up for high school anatomy, she thought it would just be another science class. Instead, it sparked a journey that led her to a career designing life-saving implants at one of Indiana’s most innovative companies.
Today, Julia works as a development engineer at Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw, Indiana—known worldwide as the orthopedic capital of the world. Her job? Designing patient-matched implants that restore mobility and reduce pain for people facing cancer, fractures, and other conditions that standard implants can’t fix.
“For me, it’s never just about the engineering. It’s about giving someone the ability to hug their kids, return to work, or simply live without pain. That’s what makes this career so meaningful,” Julia says.
Her path wasn’t straight or obvious — and that’s exactly why her story matters to Gen Z students who may be wondering how to find their own careers in Indiana’s advanced industries.
Discovering a Passion for Innovation
Julia grew up in Newport, Michigan, in a family where no one worked in the engineering field. Her dad was a firefighter, her mom a teacher, and most relatives worked blue-collar jobs. Still, she was drawn to math, science, and problem-solving.
When she chose to study bioengineering at the University of Toledo, it wasn’t just the classes that excited her; it was the required co-ops. Those internships provided her with real-world experience in designing implants and conducting research, demonstrating that engineering isn’t just about equations—it’s about making an impact.
“Internships completely shifted my perspective,” Julia says. “They helped me discover my passion, test out real-world problem-solving, and see firsthand how advanced industries shape people’s lives.”
From College to Career in Indiana’s Advanced Industries
After two internships with Zimmer Biomet, Julia knew Indiana was where she wanted to launch her career. Now, as part of the Patient-Matched Implants team, she collaborates directly with surgeons to design custom solutions for patients worldwide.
Unlike traditional engineers who may spend years on a single product, Julia’s work is fast-paced and highly personalized. She currently manages more than 60 active cases simultaneously—each requiring critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication.
“No two projects are ever the same,” Julia says. “From CT scans to 3D models to custom implants, every case pushes me to think differently. The moment I see one of those implants used in surgery, it’s this powerful reminder that my work is changing lives.”
Advice for Others: Creating your Own Pathway
Julia knows many high school students don’t have it all figured out, and that’s okay. She didn’t either. What mattered most was surrounding herself with the right people, staying curious, and being willing to try new things.
Her advice for others considering a future in Indiana’s advanced industries:
Find your circle. Surround yourself with goal-driven individuals who challenge and inspire you to grow.
Embrace mistakes. Every error is a lesson that makes you stronger.
Get hands-on. Internships, shadowing, or even short-term experiences can help you discover what excites you — and what doesn’t.
Why Indiana is the Place to Build Your Future
Indiana is a national leader in advanced industries, including life sciences, agbiosciences, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and technology. These fields are growing, global, and in need of innovators ready to bring new ideas and perspectives.
“Life sciences isn’t just for doctors,” Julia says. “If you love creating, innovating, and solving problems, there’s a place for you. Indiana offers incredible opportunities to turn those skills into a meaningful career.”
For those still shaping their path, Julia’s story shows that curiosity is often the spark—and with persistence, it can ignite a career that transforms lives. Start exploring Indiana’s pathways today!
When Ashley Jeffirs walked onto her college campus, she wasn’t sure what career path she wanted to follow. She knew she loved math and science, but she also knew that biomedical engineering wasn’t the right fit for her.
Instead, Ashley leaned into what she loved most: solving problems, working with her hands, and creating things that matter. That decision set her on a journey to Indiana’s advanced industries, where today she’s making sparks fly—literally.
As a manufacturing engineer in Zimmer Biomet’s foundry, Ashley works in an environment where molten metal at 3,000 degrees is shaped into implants that restore movement and change lives.
“I didn’t picture myself in the foundry, but the moment I worked with metal, I knew it was where I belonged,” Ashley says. “It’s incredible to know the work I do here helps create implants that make a real difference for people everywhere.”
From Small-Town Roots to Big Impact
Ashley grew up in northern Indiana and wanted a college experience that felt personal and close-knit, so she chose Trine University. There, she stumbled across metallurgy and foundry sciences through her minor, and everything clicked.
She first connected with Zimmer Biomet at a career fair, landing an internship that gave her hands-on experience in extremities manufacturing. That taste of real-world engineering gave her the confidence to pursue a full-time career after graduation.
Innovation in Action
Ashley isn’t just working in the foundry; she’s already leaving her mark. She helps oversee the process of investment casting, where wax patterns are transformed into ceramic molds, molten metal is poured, and multiple implants are created simultaneously.
Her contributions have already saved the company time and money. She redesigned a tool to last a full year instead of just three weeks and spearheaded a project that reduced scrap material, saving $383,000.
But for Ashley, success isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about people.
“The best part of my job is being side by side with operators on the floor,” Ashley says. “When they bring me a problem, and together we find a solution, seeing the pride and excitement on their faces reminds me that what I do truly makes a difference.”
Advice for Other Young Adults
Ashley knows many high school students feel uncertain about the future; she was one of them. Her advice:
Be adaptable. “Plans change, and that’s okay.”
Find balance. “Don’t let school or work take over your life.”
Speak up. “Your voice matters, even if you’re the youngest person in the room.”
Planting Roots in Indiana
Indiana is home to powerhouse industries, including advanced manufacturing, life sciences, agbiosciences, logistics, and technology. For Ashley, staying in Indiana has meant being part of global innovation while working close to home.
“You don’t have to leave Indiana to do work that matters,” Ashley says. “Right here, there are opportunities to innovate, solve real problems, and build a career that changes lives.”
Ashley Jeffirs’ journey shows that meaningful careers in Indiana’s advanced industries don’t always start with a clear plan. Sometimes, they begin with curiosity, a willingness to try something new, and the courage to discover where they belong.
Her story is proof: the sparks that fly when you follow your passions can ignite a career that changes lives.
Want to turn your interests into a meaningful, fulfilling career? Explore opportunities in Indiana’s growing industries and discover the connections, programs, and possibilities that can help you See Yourself IN Indiana’s advanced industries. Get started today!
The 2025 See Yourself IN High School Summit brought together hundreds of high school students, educators, and industry leaders for a day designed to spark possibility and illuminate real pathways into Indiana’s advanced industries. From the moment students arrived at the AMP at 16 Tech on November 13, the energy was unmistakable: curiosity, excitement, and a genuine eagerness to explore what’s possible for their futures.
Learning from the Leaders Who Shape Indiana’s Economy
We kicked off the 2025 See Yourself IN Summit with an opening from Kristen Lampkin and Latoya Botteron of CICP, who encouraged students to think boldly about their futures and to go into this day with an open mind of what is out there in Indiana.
We then welcomed Olivia West, in-game host for the Indiana Fever and Indiana Pacers, to the stage, where she shared an inspiring keynote about the importance of values – our GPS system – and how those values lead us toward decisions that affect our future. She inspired all of us to think big and to stay curious, both at the summit and in life.
Across the Summit, speakers from CICP’s branded initiatives and partners — TechPoint, AgriNovus, BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana, and Ascend Indiana — shared insights into the future of work and the incredible opportunities emerging in technology, life sciences, agbiosciences, advanced manufacturing and logistics, and beyond. They were also able to share opportunities for students to get plugged in and get a jumpstart on their careers, whatever that path may be.
The morning session ended with two valuable panel discussions that exposed students to real stories of success and validation that it’s okay to not know your next step. We first welcomed a group of current students who are tied to CICP’s various talent programs, including Field Atlas, Xtern, and the Modern Apprenticeship Program (MAP). These individuals – Mackensi Schneider, Megan Van Dyke, and Rex Cole – were joined by AgriNovus Indiana Career Success Manager Karis Witte to discuss their respective programs as well as their advice for students who may be interested in following in their footsteps.
We then transitioned to a panel of early-in-career professionals who have been able to make an impact and find success (and their voice) in various advanced industry careers. Susie Cox, an Automation Leader at Corteva Agriscience, Katie Murphy, a Manufacturing Engineer at Arcamed, and Lilia Sanchez, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Indiana Biosciences Research Institute joined moderator Emily Kitterman, Director of Careers in Tech at TechPoint on the stage. These individuals were able to share advice to students about finding their path and ways to find success in the advanced industries, as well as offered some perspective on what the “advanced industries” really mean and why they are so important, not just to our state but to our world.
Beyond the stage, the Summit’s industry activations transformed career exploration into something students could touch, test, and experience. From learning about life sciences through VR to extracting strawberry DNA, coding alongside tech mentors to learning about how to use AI, students had a chance to see these advanced industries come to life in very tangible ways. A special thanks to the following groups who volunteered their time and talent to provide these hands-on demos to our students:
Corteva Agriscience: Strawberry DNA Extraction
EMC2 – Facility and Lab Tour
Ivy Tech School of IT and Gaming: Coding Activity
iXplore: Virtual Reality Experience
Machyne at 16 Tech – Tour of Machyne Makerspace and Welding Demo
Telabotics: Robotics Demonstration and Activity
TechPoint – AI Workshop
Many students were eager to share that this was their favorite part of the day, the moment careers felt tangible, accessible, and exciting.
In addition to these hands-on activities, we had several partners who set up booths at the AMP where students could learn about opportunities to take the next step. Butler University’s Founder’s College, IU Indianapolis, Purdue University, Ivy Tech, and each of our branded initiatives – Ascend Indiana, AgriNovus Indiana, BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana, and TechPoint were able to share opportunities for our high school students to get plugged in and turn today’s excitement into an actionable step forward.
Student Takeaways and Outcomes
Throughout the day, one message came through clearly: There is a place for every student to see themselves IN Indiana’s innovation economy.
As students got their ice cream and headed home for the day, they left with an idea of their values, a new awareness of growing career paths and opportunities, direct connections to mentors, employers, and continuing education, and insights into the skills needed for today’s (and tomorrow’s) jobs.
Perhaps most importantly, they left with a greater understanding that their strengths, interests, and values can help shape their decision-making and influence their path to a fulfilling career, right here in Indiana.
The learning doesn’t stop when the Summit ends. Students, families, and educators can continue exploring resources, career pathways, and videos throughout the year at SeeYourselfIN.com.
A Community Coming Together for Students
None of this would have been possible without our incredible network of partners:
Panelists and speakers who generously shared their time and stories
Exhibitors and activation partners who brought advanced industries to life through hands-on demonstrations
Educators and school leaders who championed their students and made participation possible
CICP’s five branded initiatives who collaborated to create a seamless, meaningful experience for students across the state
This collective effort is what makes the See Yourself IN Summit so powerful. It represents the very best of Indiana’s commitment to developing its future talent.
This article was originally published by Field Atlas. Click here to read the original article.
Why did you initially decide to apply to the Agbioscience Mentorship Program (AMP)? What were you hoping to gain from this experience?
Hey, my name is Jean Paul Iyakaremye. I decided to join this AMP program because I wanted to meet a mentor to learn how in industry professionals achieve their goals.
Who is your mentor and how do your skills and interests align with their background?
My mentor is Claudia Nari from Inari Company. Our skills align because I work on plant genetics and the breeding, which is also her specialty. I want to use her expertise to be able to prepare myself for future careers.
What have you learned from your mentor so far this year?
Oh, it’s a lot. From how to plan your career to how to be a good team player and also how to understand that this field is changing very quickly. She taught me how best to adapt to different changes to stay ahead of the game.
What has been your favorite part of this program and experience?
Two, I mainly have two favorite pieces of this program. One is a monthly meeting with my mentor. Another one is how we meet here in Indianapolis as a whole team to interact not only with my mentor but also other professionals.
What is something you would tell any college student or young professional that might be thinking about applying for AMP 2026?
The AMP program is really very useful. One, because they match you with a professional who can help you not only think about your professional life, but also learn from them what they’ve accomplished as a way to inspire you towards what you want to achieve.
Field Atlas AMP is a guided year-long mentorship program that connects late college and early professionals to industry leaders excelling in their field. Fast track your professional journey through impactful mentorship and connection. Apply for a future AMP Cohort here!
When Eric Wildeman was wrapping up his degree in public relations, advertising and applied communication at the University of Southern Indiana, he didn’t know what he wanted to do next. So, he interviewed with a variety of organizations, one of which happened to be a logistics firm. But it wasn’t what the company did that won him over. It was the way the company did it.
“It was more of the atmosphere that intrigued me,” he says. “It was a true sales floor. Everyone’s on the phone talking out loud, thinking out loud. It reminded me of a mini Wall Street.”
That was half-a-dozen years ago. Now a business development representative at Evansville’s PFL Logistics – which takes care of warehousing and transporting goods for companies – Eric says he continues to get a rush from the high-energy, fast-paced logistics environment.
Days go by quickly, he says, as he helps customers meet their needs and solve problems. For example, he recently helped a customer with a refrigerated product after the delivery truck was turned away at its destination. As scheduled, the shipment was picked up on a Thursday and delivered by 9 a.m. on Friday, but the receiving dock wouldn’t allow it to unload. Keeping the product refrigerated while waiting for a later delivery slot would cost the client a lot of money, Eric says, so he went into action. Juggling phone calls, pulling together documentation and aligning everyone’s objectives, he got the truck a delivery slot before things got too heated.
It was an achievement that leaned a lot on attributes Eric says are important to his job: problem-solving, communicating clearly and frankly, and managing your time while responding to multiple clients’ needs. Eric credits his family upbringing with giving him a work ethic that allows him to enjoy such challenges, along with an ability to communicate with people with varying roles – from the accounting office to the warehouse floor.
It helps that he gets to do this work in familiar territory. The Evansville native is happy that he found a job that allows him to settle with his wife in his hometown, where he now helps to coach the football team at his alma mater, Mater Dei High School.
Despite stumbling into logistics, Eric says he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. He loves the energy at PFL and in his industry. “It’s something different every day,” he says. “You never do the same thing all day or every day … it’s definitely what I was looking for.”
The path that brought Alex Goebel to her job as a lean digital data analyst at AstraZeneca was not a straight one, but it sure seems to have been the right one.
Alex (short for Alexandra) laughs as she describes the course that brought her to where she is today. Coming out of Mount Vernon High School, she considered medicine – helping patients appealed to her – but didn’t like science. She loved math but couldn’t imagine what she would do with a math degree. (Teach, maybe?) In college, she briefly leaned toward actuarial sciences, but an internship diverted her toward accounting.
When she got a scholarship from AstraZeneca, a conversation with Lean Digital Director Keith Rawley led to an internship working in the company’s warehouse. At first, this only muddied the water. “I had no idea how I would fit in there,” Alex says. “I thought, ‘What am I doing in the warehouse?’”
As it turns out, she was defining her path – a path that, in a way, had been there all along.
Growing up, Alex had always known the hometown pharmaceutical manufacturing operation as Bristol-Myers Squibb (it was acquired by AstraZeneca in 2014). She also knew it as the place where her dad worked. “Honestly, I’d hear my dad talk about it and I’d think, ‘That’s cool,’ she says with a chuckle. “But it doesn’t have anything to do with me.”
The internship changed that, shattering misperceptions she had about manufacturing and logistics as low-tech and dirty operations. She found a clean, exciting facility where even a math major could contribute.
Still, Alex wasn’t certain AstraZeneca was for her. But as she finished her bachelor’s degree in math and accounting at University of Southern Indiana (USI), she interned at a couple of other places, and soon realized that she liked the people, the culture and the work she found at AstraZeneca. She signed on full-time in 2020 and hasn’t looked back.
That’s not to say she settled into a job and stayed put. In her time with AstraZeneca, Alex has explored new opportunities and received promotions. Encouraged to continue learning, she’s taken advantage of classes and training supported by AstraZeneca and also earned her MBA from USI.
Happy to find such a good job in her hometown, where she enjoys hanging out with familiar friends, boating and spending time with family, Alex likes that being with a pharmaceutical firm takes her back to her early passion (“I’ve still got a way to help patients,” she says), and concedes that it is fun to work where her dad works.
So, she plans to stay with AstraZeneca … but not necessarily on a clearly defined path. “I have a career path that I see myself going down, but it’s changed every couple of years,” she says. “One thing about AstraZeneca is, they just surprise me all the time.”
This article was originally published by Field Atlas. Click here to read the original article.
Why did you initially decide to apply to the Agbioscience Mentorship Program (AMP)? What were you hoping to gain from this experience?
My name is Sophia Chaplin. When I applied in for the AMP program, I was a senior Ball State. One of the biggest reasons that I did it was because of all the amazing people that I would get to connect with and experiences that I would have, whether it was just a quick passive conversation or a formal one-on-one conversation. Needless to say, it fully lived up to my expectations.
You know, I went into it really open-minded. Obviously, it’s new program. So I was really excited to be the guinea pig on something that was launching off the ground. But one of the biggest takeaways that I wanted was genuinely just to have that person that I can lean on, whether it’s, hey, read my resume, or hey, I’m really having a bad week. It’s finals week, and I need somebody to lift me up. Robyn, my mentor, has been amazing throughout the entire process.
Who is your mentor and how do your skills and interests align with their background?
My mentor is Robyn Heine. Her and I work in completely different industries, but both of which are very people forward. So, you know, where she’s more on like the tech and startup side of things, I’m actually in real estate. We’re both in very people forward roles and she’s been an awesome asset to have, whether it was getting that job or, you know, finding those skills within myself and applying them in my career.
What have you learned from your mentor so far this year?
Be comfortable being uncomfortable. She’s really pushed me to lean into the things that might seem scary in the moment, but those are the biggest learning opportunities you’re going to have. And she’s just a phone call away, whether, like I said, if it’s just a quick conversation of, I’m having a bad day and I really need somebody to talk to, or, hey, I just got this really great job opportunity, what do you think? So yeah, I adore her, she’s been amazing.
What has been your favorite part of this program and experience?
Everything seems so cliche, but genuinely, I mean every step of the way, whether it was growing those relationships throughout these last couple of months to sitting down and having those dinners with all of the different people and their different trades and networking. I’ve met so many people and made so many connections on LinkedIn or Instagram that I’m able to see what they’re doing in their careers, and it’s been really inspiring.
What is something you would tell any college student or young professional that might be thinking about applying for AMP 2026?
Jump jump jump. I mean whether it’s this experience or you know just meeting those people do it because you’re going to make so many of these amazing networking opportunities and meet so many cool people within AMP or even you know connections with people who the AMP individuals might have connections to. Just write your own book and this is just one chapter that I think will be so impactful for many.
Field Atlas AMP is a guided year-long mentorship program that connects late college and early professionals to industry leaders excelling in their field. Fast track your professional journey through impactful mentorship and connection. Apply for a future AMP Cohort here!
Mackenzie Mulherin went off to college planning to heal people. It turns out her destiny was to heal the planet.
A sustainability project manager in consumer packaging at Evansville’s Berry Global, Mackenzie spends her days working with teams seeking to increase the sustainability of things like plastic drink cups and lids, food packaging and beauty and personal care tubes. Recently, for example, she was excited to announce that her division had just introduced a Wendy’s drink cup made with 20% recycled material, a product that is a trendsetter in the industry.
Consumer packaging was not where Mackenzie saw her future when she entered the University of Southern Indiana. “I started out in nursing,” she says, “but learned that I love marketing. I really love to do that.”
Mackenzie wasn’t out of college long before she set her sights on a job at Berry Global. Growing up in Evansville, she was aware of the company and its reputation as a good employer, and she had some friends who worked there. So, after getting jobs in marketing for smaller firms in the area, she started connecting with people on LinkedIn and networking with colleagues who knew people at Berry Global. The approach worked. She got hired in 2021.
“I just did some things that stood out,” Mackenzie says. “I was able to build up work experience and relevant skills through my past roles, but my network of professional relationships and ability to follow up helped set me apart.”
Sustainability is a multifaceted career, Mackenzie says, that includes everything from the technical engineering of products to the kind of work she does, which often includes working with Berry customers to help them achieve their sustainability goals and provide products that are meaningful to their consumers.
With Berry Global, there are a lot of those customers of customers, Mackenzie points out, as the company makes such a wide range of products. In fact, it is estimated that the average consumer touches a Berry Global product as many as five times a day. It’s not uncommon, she adds, to see Berry Global employees in the grocery store looking at the bottom of yogurt cups and lotion bottles to check for the Berry Global logo.
Citing her career path as an example, Mackenzie encourages other young people to keep open minds, pursue their goals and take risks. She never imagined she would end up in sustainability when she was in college, and she’s delighted to have a job that allows her to help provide for her family and make a real difference in the world.
“I get to do both,” Mackenzie says. “I get to contribute to my family’s income and positively impact the environment.”
If you don’t know what you want to do when you grow up, that’s okay. Many high school students don’t. Your future career doesn’t have to be decided right now. In fact, now is the perfect time to explore different options and opportunities that are out there. But, did you know the things you already enjoy doing every day can give you clues about careers you might thrive in?
Your hobbies and interests aren’t just activities. They’re signals about your strengths, your personality, and the environments where you might feel confident and excited. If you pay attention to what naturally interests you, you can start to See Yourself IN careers that fit.
Here are three questions to help you explore your interests and visualize how those connect to real-world opportunities across Indiana’s advanced industries.
1. What do I enjoy doing when no one is telling me what to do?
When you have free time, what do you choose to do? Those interests offer insight into what kinds of work might keep you motivated long-term.
If you enjoy…
Playing video games → You might like solving problems in digital spaces. That can translate to roles in cybersecurity, software testing, or even working with robotics and automation in advanced manufacturing.
Being outdoors or caring about nature → You might care about sustainability or environmental health. That connects to agbioscience careers like plant science, soil health, or sustainability tech — and even public or environmental health in the life sciences.
Enjoying animals or caring for pets → You may be drawn to animal health, a piece within the agbiosciences and life sciences. Think animal nutrition, veterinary diagnostics, or animal health product testing.
Helping people → You may be motivated by improving lives. That fits careers in life sciences, medical technology, diagnostics, or agbioscience roles focused on nutrition and food safety. (P.S. life sciences, doesn’t just mean “doctor”!)
Tinkering, building things, or taking things apart to see how they work → You may love understanding how things fit together. That curiosity translates directly into advanced manufacturing and logistics — from working with high-tech machinery and robotics to creating the parts and products that power everything from medical devices to electric vehicles.
Your free-time choices don’t define your career, but they do show where your natural interests live.
2. What kinds of problems do you like to solve?
Every job is basically a different type of problem-solving. Understanding the type you enjoy can point you toward fields where you’ll feel energized instead of drained.
If you like…
Figuring out how things work or fixing things → hands-on, technical roles may be a great fit (advanced manufacturing, robotics technician, engineering support).
Finding patterns or thinking logically → you might enjoy data-oriented roles (analytics, operations, or quality testing across industries).
Making things easier, faster, or more efficient → you might be drawn to logistics or process improvement careers.
Experimenting, testing, or being curious about science → lab roles, biotech support, or materials testing could match your strengths.
How you solve problems can be just as important as a specific major or job title.
3. What skills do I naturally use without thinking about it?
These are the strengths everyone else sees in you, the things you do well without trying. They are huge career clues.
If you naturally…
Notice details → You could be great in roles that require accuracy, like quality control in advanced manufacturing, lab testing in the life sciences, or data monitoring in agbioscience and logistics.
Stay calm under pressure or handle fast-moving situations → You might thrive in healthcare support within the life sciences, operations roles in logistics, or troubleshooting and monitoring roles in technology.
Pick up new tools or technology easily → This strength is valuable in robotics and automation roles in advanced manufacturing, software testing or IT support in tech, and lab or field equipment use in agbiosciences and life sciences.
Work well with others or communicate clearly → You may stand out on manufacturing and logistics teams, in lab or research environments in life sciences and agbiosciences, or in collaborative technology projects.
Think logically or enjoy step-by-step problem-solving → You might enjoy careers in process improvement or operations within logistics, data-focused roles in technology or research, or engineering support in advanced manufacturing.
Learn best by doing or enjoy hands-on work → You could thrive as a technician in manufacturing, robotics, or biotech, in equipment operation roles across supply chain settings, or in lab and field testing positions in agbiosciences and life sciences.
Strengths aren’t always academic. Sometimes career clues come from your personality, so pay attention to what you are good at and what other people are affirming you for.
Ready to start exploring?
Your hobbies won’t tell you exactly what to become, but they will help you understand yourself better. And when you know yourself, it’s easier to see where you might fit in Indiana’s growing opportunities, whether it’s life sciences, agbiosciences, tech, advanced manufacturing and logistics, or beyond.
From Carmel High School to Purdue University to Allison Transmission, Vincent Mai’s journey shows how curiosity and initiative can lead to a thriving career in Indiana’s advanced industries.
Vincent, what first got you interested in engineering?
In high school, I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted to do. However, robotics was the turning point—it gave me the confidence to pursue a career in engineering.
What classes helped shape your career path?
Definitely the Project Lead the Way courses. Those intro engineering classes, digital electronics, and engineering principles showed me the basics. They provided me with a solid foundation for pursuing a STEM career in Indiana.
How did you land your first role with Allison Transmission?
Funny enough, Allison was a sponsor of my high school robotics team. Later, at Purdue’s Industrial Roundtable, I reconnected with them. That led to two internships—one in 2017 and one in 2018. After that second internship, I knew I wanted to be there full-time.
What do you do today as a Control Systems Engineer?
The easiest way to describe it is a software engineer with extra responsibilities. Some days I’m coding and designing; other days I’m out on test trucks or public roads testing the systems we’ve built. It’s a great mix of analysis, software development, and hands-on application.
What skills have been most valuable in your career?
Communication is huge. When I’m working with peers, they want technical detail. But leaders often just want the big picture. Knowing how to adapt your communication style is essential in advanced industries.
What lessons would you share with students or young professionals exploring STEM careers in Indiana?
I’d share three things:
Be open-minded. Don’t lock yourself into one idea too early.
Be flexible. Life will throw curveballs—be willing to adjust.
Take initiative. Speak up about your interests so people can help you grow.
Looking back, what stands out most about your journey?
That you don’t need to have it all figured out. I thought I’d go into aerospace or maybe medical technology. Instead, I found a career in advanced manufacturing and automotive right here in Indiana—and I love it.
If you love problem-solving, design, and teamwork, manufacturing and advanced industries in Indiana might be the perfect fit for you. Explore opportunities and discover your path through See Yourself IN!
