THE 'T' IN STEM: David
As a kid, I remember my parents purchasing our first ever computer. Me and my dad put it to use by bonding over playing war strategy games. Playing these games cultivated my interest in WWII history at an early age, which expanded into the larger realm of political and military history as a whole. I had always excelled in classes with little effort, so for me college seemed to be inevitable on my career journey. During the college selection process I also needed to think about which major I would select. I wanted to major in history while also taking classes necessary to apply to apply to medical school to become a doctor down the road. My parents insisted that I instead select a backup major that would have good job opportunities in case I didn’t make it into medical school, to which engineering seemed the only satisfactory answer. Begrudgingly, I selected engineering as my primary major in college.
Facing the increased difficulty of college relative to high school, among other factors, caused my grades to slip. After a year of college I was forced to realize that my grades would never cut it for medical school, so I dropped out of the pre-medicine track and stuck with engineering. After another semester I tried applying to some internships for the summer after my sophomore year, and my grades were too low to qualify for most of them. I realized that I would need to start applying myself more, and brought my grades considerably up by the time I graduated. After completing a master’s degree and a series of increasingly more prestigious internships, I was able to land a job at Raytheon in Tucson.
Now I am applying my passion for military history a way I had never anticipated. I get to contribute toward the future technologies protecting our servicemen and national interests. Looking back, engineering was by far a better fit for me than both history and medicine, and my parents knew that. Any time I talk to anyone considering college I always promote engineering as a rewarding career field.
My recommendation to college-bound students is that they carefully consider why they are going to college. Studying your passions is good, but college is a very expensive investment that should only be taken if truly necessary to further your life goals and career ambitions. My highest achieving classmates were those who had taken a year or more off from school – full time work teaches the value of a degree as well as the value of a dollar. Student loans are expensive, trust me I know.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
David Jones, 28, got his Bachelor’s degree at the Gonzaga University and a Masters degree at the University of Washington in Electrical Engineering. He now works at Raytheon in Tucson. When he is not at work, David likes to practice Muay Thai, enjoy Tucson scenery while playing golf, and backpack national parks.
