Do you have any advice for, like, people like me or like younger?
 2
00:00:03.636 --> 00:00:04.738 A lot of people talk
 3
00:00:04.738 --> 00:00:08.608 in this world about what's my passion and I have to follow my passion,
 4
00:00:08.608 --> 00:00:11.745 and I think that's too big of a word sometimes.
 5
00:00:11.745 --> 00:00:14.047 Yeah. It's heavy. It's heavy,
 6
00:00:14.047 --> 00:00:15.548 and it's almost as if, like.
 7
00:00:15.548 --> 00:00:19.019 Well, if I don't know what my passion is, then I'm failing or I'm dadada.
 8
00:00:19.386 --> 00:00:23.356 And I tell people, your purpose can just be having a good day.
 9
00:00:23.590 --> 00:00:28.094 Your purpose can be finding the joy in whatever little thing
 10
00:00:28.495 --> 00:00:31.765 and having your coffee and saying hello to someone in this and that.
 11
00:00:32.132 --> 00:00:34.834 So let go of these big lofty things,
 12
00:00:34.834 --> 00:00:39.205 is number one, just find a way to make sure that every day
 13
00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:43.109 has something that's given you a sense of peace and joy.
 14
00:00:43.309 --> 00:00:44.677 And then try out things.
 15
00:00:44.677 --> 00:00:48.415 I've changed my careers more times than I can count on my hands.
 16
00:00:48.648 --> 00:00:50.550 Trying things out isn't failure.
 17
00:00:50.550 --> 00:00:54.587 Trying things out is success because you learn from them new skills.
 18
00:00:54.954 --> 00:00:57.023 But then you also figure out, I like doing this.
 19
00:00:57.023 --> 00:00:57.891 I don't like doing that.
 20
00:00:57.891 --> 00:01:00.193 I like doing this, I don't, so try things out.
 21
00:01:00.193 --> 00:01:03.530 Just because you committed to a career, I want to frickin medical school.
 22
00:01:03.830 --> 00:01:06.166 And then I left it after ten years.
 23
00:01:06.166 --> 00:01:09.169 I'm doing very well right now, and as I was saying,
 24
00:01:09.569 --> 00:01:11.771 it wasn't a bad thing to do that.
 25
00:01:11.771 --> 00:01:13.473 So try things out.
 26
00:01:13.473 --> 00:01:14.240 Be a hustler.
 27
00:01:14.240 --> 00:01:16.609 I used to go and make things and sell them,
 28
00:01:16.609 --> 00:01:20.480 even without needing money, just because I like the art of the hustle.
 29
00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:23.483 Of the knowing you can go and figure things out.
 30
00:01:23.550 --> 00:01:24.584 Don't have ego,
 31
00:01:24.584 --> 00:01:28.521 there was a point in my life when, after I got my divorce the second time,
 32
00:01:29.089 --> 00:01:32.358 even though I was a highly paid individual in a company,
 33
00:01:32.358 --> 00:01:34.661 I had, like too much debt and stuff like that.
 34
00:01:34.661 --> 00:01:36.496 I used to Uber drive on the side.
 35
00:01:36.496 --> 00:01:38.598 I went and worked at a restaurant on the side.
 36
00:01:38.598 --> 00:01:42.902 I have no ego when it comes to being a responsible parent
 37
00:01:42.902 --> 00:01:46.372 and doing the things that you need to do, you need to let that stuff go.
 38
00:01:46.372 --> 00:01:47.140 No ego.
 39
00:01:47.140 --> 00:01:49.676 Hustle, get out there, try things out.
 40
00:01:49.676 --> 00:01:51.044 And then I think you're going to land
 41
00:01:51.044 --> 00:01:54.013 in something that, you know, hopefully gives you life.
 42
00:01:54.180 --> 00:01:57.684 Make sure you land in something that you feel you want to wake up
 43
00:01:57.684 --> 00:02:01.855 in the morning to do, rather than kind of live by default.
 44
00:02:01.921 --> 00:02:03.990 And with your light not shining.
 

2025 SXSW Conference
Interviewed in Austin, TX but works in Minneapolis, MN USA.
advanced-degree
career-change

Build your network. It's important to be a person of increase. When you meet someone, make sure they walk away with value from you. Don't just wait to network when you need something. The best way to make connections that will benefit you in the future is to make sure you're benefitting others and helping them too.

I was born in Egypt to a family that didn't see value in women. I was essentially left behind by my parents because I was born a girl. I was always sad as a child so I decided to pursue medical school so that I could help other children feel good.

Every day, I work to weave equity and inclusion into the fabric of our global company. I lead with heart, strategy, and urgency—whether I’m reviewing diversity metrics, shaping policy, or mentoring young talent. I collaborate with leaders to design inclusive systems and launch programs that open doors to education and careers. It’s about healing corporate culture so everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

Foundation President & Global Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer

You're not worthy because you're not a doctor anymore.

Exploration

Passion

Explore, Hustle, And Find Whatever Makes You Happy

I believe that, like everyone is a mosaic of their experiences, lived experiences,
 2
00:00:04.904 --> 00:00:07.907 and you seem like you have a lot of experiences.
 3
00:00:09.042 --> 00:00:11.111 How have you utilized
 4
00:00:11.111 --> 00:00:13.980 all of that in your current role today?
 5
00:00:14.180 --> 00:00:16.683 I've been very fortunate throughout my life
 6
00:00:16.683 --> 00:00:20.854 to have been exposed to new and different places really early on.
 7
00:00:21.054 --> 00:00:24.691 The military was a really great ground for that
 8
00:00:24.691 --> 00:00:26.926 and I always pushed and wanted to find opportunities
 9
00:00:26.926 --> 00:00:29.896 to kind of be in nontraditional settings, even in the Coast Guard.
 10
00:00:29.896 --> 00:00:34.896 And all that to say that, I think it really quickly solidified for me that
 11
00:00:35.635 --> 00:00:39.372 everyone really wants the same basic things, right?
 12
00:00:39.639 --> 00:00:44.110 You know, and they want to, you know, live a safe and secure life.
 13
00:00:44.110 --> 00:00:46.112 They want their children to be better off than they were.
 14
00:00:46.112 --> 00:00:47.647 They want to be able to provide for themselves.
 15
00:00:47.647 --> 00:00:49.949 They want to have connection and relationship to others.
 16
00:00:49.949 --> 00:00:54.387 All of these things that I think as I come into this role at a company
 17
00:00:54.387 --> 00:00:58.558 that has been focused on accessible tech and trying to level the playing field
 18
00:00:58.558 --> 00:01:02.429 for folks who otherwise might not feel welcome or included.
 19
00:01:02.762 --> 00:01:05.832 I mean, I've got two colleagues who are fully blind and
 20
00:01:05.832 --> 00:01:09.235 they have to go into an airport and most times wait for somebody
 21
00:01:09.235 --> 00:01:11.371 from passenger assist to take them to the next gate.
 22
00:01:11.371 --> 00:01:14.541 And it's not infrequent that they're asked to sit in a wheelchair.
 23
00:01:14.541 --> 00:01:16.576 They are not limited in mobility.
 24
00:01:16.576 --> 00:01:17.811 They don't need a wheelchair.
 25
00:01:17.811 --> 00:01:19.646 They just need somebody to help guide them to the gate.
 26
00:01:19.646 --> 00:01:24.050 And that idea of like having independence and the dignity to be able to move on
 27
00:01:24.050 --> 00:01:29.050 your own is something that, again, is a universal want from almost everybody.
 28
00:01:30.023 --> 00:01:33.827 And so being able to be in a company that is really focused on enabling that
 29
00:01:33.827 --> 00:01:36.963 for the broadest range of individuals in the most basic way,
 30
00:01:36.963 --> 00:01:39.632 is something that I think is influenced by all these different experiences
 31
00:01:39.632 --> 00:01:41.501 that I've had, where I've connected with folks from different
 32
00:01:41.501 --> 00:01:46.106 backgrounds and spaces and realized that we've all kind of got a basic want.
 

2024 TSOC Roadtrip
veteran
coast-guard
advanced-degree

A technology degree and MBA would be more helpful in my current role, though I wouldn't say they're required if you have enough life experience.

I wake up around 5 a.m., start my day with coffee, and get a head start on emails and work while the house is still quiet. After a workout, I head to a coffee shop for my first meeting, usually with a potential customer or investor. The rest of my morning and afternoon consist of internal team meetings, strategy sessions, emails, customer demos or pitch meetings, community events, and meetings for the external Boards I'm involved with.

Why would you make that career change? You're on a pathway to make a lot of money and that's a huge pay cut.

Experience

How Past Experiences Have Influenced My Career

So before we part ways, do you have any advice for us three
 2
00:00:05.572 --> 00:00:10.310 or just anyone who's seeking out like a similar path?
 3
00:00:10.810 --> 00:00:11.811 I would say
 4
00:00:12.879 --> 00:00:15.281 creativity doesn't start like in a place.
 5
00:00:15.281 --> 00:00:19.152 It's not about like getting all your instruments together or,
 6
00:00:19.419 --> 00:00:20.920 you know, utensils.
 7
00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:22.522 It's not about sitting in a studio.
 8
00:00:22.522 --> 00:00:25.525 It's about being out there, you know, being out in the world.
 9
00:00:25.892 --> 00:00:28.995 And so if you need something to spark your creative flow,
 10
00:00:28.995 --> 00:00:31.998 I'm like, go to where creativity happens.
 11
00:00:32.098 --> 00:00:33.400 Come to the New Inc.
 12
00:00:33.400 --> 00:00:34.734 demo festival, right?
 13
00:00:34.734 --> 00:00:38.338 Hear some, like live poetry, like whatever your medium is,
 14
00:00:38.371 --> 00:00:41.374 go dance like, you know, go out.
 15
00:00:42.075 --> 00:00:45.378 Like, that's where you get inspired and locked in.
 16
00:00:45.378 --> 00:00:50.250 It's when you're with other people in community, you achieve the flow right?
 17
00:00:50.784 --> 00:00:52.318 It's like if you force it,
 18
00:00:52.318 --> 00:00:53.620 it's just not going to happen.
 19
00:00:53.620 --> 00:00:58.191 So I'm like, embrace the multiplicity and find the intersection.
 20
00:00:58.491 --> 00:01:00.760 And like that's what makes you unique right,
 21
00:01:00.760 --> 00:01:05.165 that you have found these two poles and you actually see them as interrelated.
 22
00:01:05.665 --> 00:01:08.635 But if there is a case in which you do need to make a decision,
 23
00:01:09.135 --> 00:01:10.737 you can try one for a little bit.
 24
00:01:10.737 --> 00:01:13.840 You're not locked in and then you can go back to the other.
 25
00:01:13.973 --> 00:01:18.178 You know, I'm always like reminded by like some of these titans
 26
00:01:18.178 --> 00:01:22.015 we have in culture now, like Ava DuVernay, who, like, has said like
 27
00:01:22.649 --> 00:01:25.952 she didn't pick up a camera until later in life, or Toni Morrison,
 28
00:01:25.985 --> 00:01:28.655 who wrote The Bluest Eye, I think in her forties.
 29
00:01:28.655 --> 00:01:30.790 These are like great reminders for me that, like,
 30
00:01:30.790 --> 00:01:33.726 whatever career path you're on right now can change.
 31
00:01:33.726 --> 00:01:36.162 Absolutely. Like, you don't have to do it for the rest of your life.
 32
00:01:36.162 --> 00:01:39.766 Like and it's actually maybe fun to bop around.
 33
00:01:39.766 --> 00:01:40.266 I don't know.
 34
00:01:42.869 --> 00:01:45.505 But I think people will sense enthusiasm.
 35
00:01:45.505 --> 00:01:46.539 Find a friend.
 36
00:01:46.539 --> 00:01:49.709 You don't have to do this work alone, and you shouldn't.
 37
00:01:50.110 --> 00:01:54.414 I think the best moments for me where I found clarity
 38
00:01:54.414 --> 00:01:58.351 in my practice and professional career were the ones where I said out loud,
 39
00:01:58.585 --> 00:02:03.585 I'm confused about X or Y, and I just have to talk through it with someone.
 40
00:02:04.124 --> 00:02:06.559 So find someone to chat with right?
 41
00:02:06.559 --> 00:02:09.496 And people are drawn and attracted to enthusiasm.
 42
00:02:09.496 --> 00:02:11.631 So if you're passionate about something,
 43
00:02:11.631 --> 00:02:14.300 people will like follow you down the rabbit hole, right?
 44
00:02:14.300 --> 00:02:15.168 If you like,
 45
00:02:15.168 --> 00:02:18.238 are researched about it, you're dedicated to it.
 46
00:02:18.838 --> 00:02:21.708 People are going to be like, Yo, they're so committed.
 47
00:02:21.708 --> 00:02:23.576 Let me like learn more about this. Right?
 48
00:02:23.576 --> 00:02:26.412 And that, you don't know, like might spark something for someone else.
 49
00:02:26.412 --> 00:02:29.616 They might see their work differently because of the questions you're asking.
 

Creativity doesn't start in a static place where you've gathered your tools and supplies. It happens out in the world. So go out and explore where creativity happens. Go to the NEW INC demo festival, or find a creative expo in your area. Find inspiration with other people in community. Network and bounce your ideas off others.

My days are vibrant and full of discovery as I support interdisciplinary creators working across art, design, and technology. Each day brings inspiring collaborations with innovative individuals shaping new paths in storytelling, architecture, and immersive realities. Guiding our 60+ project cohorts, I learn alongside them, embracing curiosity and creativity.

Director

Inspiration

Creativity Is Found Exploring Real World Experiences

What is your advice for us as as people that may be watching?
 2
00:00:03.670 --> 00:00:05.105 Well, certainly come to Western
 3
00:00:05.405 --> 00:00:07.674 it'd be my first piece of advice.
 4
00:00:07.674 --> 00:00:12.012 No, higher education is transformational in so many different ways.
 5
00:00:12.012 --> 00:00:16.016 Like I've said, it goes beyond just preparing for for careers.
 6
00:00:16.016 --> 00:00:21.016 And so my advice would be, Explore, in your exploration of higher education.
 7
00:00:21.321 --> 00:00:25.291 My hope is that you don't get discouraged, but that you dig a little deeper
 8
00:00:25.291 --> 00:00:28.862 as you start to identify places that you want to attend
 9
00:00:28.862 --> 00:00:32.899 And then once you get into education and this is probably the most important
 10
00:00:32.899 --> 00:00:37.771 piece of advice, engage, engage not just in your academic programing,
 11
00:00:38.038 --> 00:00:42.242 but engage in all the other things that are available to you as an institution.
 12
00:00:42.242 --> 00:00:47.242 So this is a where you can really discover and develop your passions.
 13
00:00:47.647 --> 00:00:52.385 So, you know, maybe it's a fly fishing club, maybe it's the chess club,
 14
00:00:52.652 --> 00:00:56.790 maybe it's an athletic program of some sort or a club sports
 15
00:00:56.790 --> 00:00:57.891 or something like that.
 16
00:00:57.891 --> 00:01:02.891 But there is so much that we have to offer as college campuses, and we know
 17
00:01:03.396 --> 00:01:08.396 that if students do not engage, they're more likely to not persist.
 18
00:01:08.701 --> 00:01:12.405 And so it's always been about relationships
 19
00:01:12.405 --> 00:01:16.476 and it's about building relations shapes and understanding that
 20
00:01:16.643 --> 00:01:18.745 you're not the smartest person in the room
 21
00:01:18.745 --> 00:01:22.582 and that you lean on the people who have expertise.
 22
00:01:22.682 --> 00:01:27.053 I mean, I feel really fortunate to have the career I've had up to this point in
 23
00:01:28.021 --> 00:01:31.558 excited to be here and continue the great work of this university.
 

2024 VOHE Roadtrip
first-in-family
advanced-degree

While I recommend my same educational path, I also recognize that there are several different paths to get to a university presidency. What's most important is to embrace leadership opportunities as much as you can along that path.

Becoming the first in my family to attend college was a great accomplishment for me. The first-hand experience I have with those challenges helps inform my passion and focus on creating support systems for first-gen students at my university now.

My day to day work is about doing whatever I can to support the mission of our university, whether that's building relationships, telling our story, raising money, or mobilizing our advocates.

President

Support & Encouragement

Explore And Engage While In College

There is no one way to get to anywhere.
 2
00:00:02.535 --> 00:00:06.239 I think there is a misconception that you need to check off particular boxes
 3
00:00:06.239 --> 00:00:09.209 or that you need to have accomplished certain things at certain times
 4
00:00:09.209 --> 00:00:11.911 or like your educational career has to look a particular way in order
 5
00:00:11.911 --> 00:00:14.381 for you to accomplish something in particular.
 6
00:00:14.381 --> 00:00:18.084 But that's just not how human lives work, right?
 7
00:00:18.084 --> 00:00:20.020 That's not how our society works.
 8
00:00:20.020 --> 00:00:24.891 And so I think we shouldn't write ourselves off when we don't maybe
 9
00:00:24.891 --> 00:00:29.129 accomplish something that we wanted to at a- by a certain date or in a certain way.
 10
00:00:29.295 --> 00:00:30.697 You know, I certainly did not get
 11
00:00:30.697 --> 00:00:34.134 the best grades ever in high school, but I'm now a Ph.D.
 12
00:00:34.134 --> 00:00:34.701 candidate.
 13
00:00:34.701 --> 00:00:37.270 And a lot of that has to do with, like endurance
 14
00:00:37.270 --> 00:00:41.241 and just the fact that I like doing this job.
 15
00:00:41.307 --> 00:00:45.578 So really people I think, need to allow themselves
 16
00:00:45.578 --> 00:00:50.550 the grace to figure out like their own paths and to not expect
 17
00:00:50.550 --> 00:00:55.121 too much of themselves in the sense of thinking that the molds and that
 18
00:00:55.121 --> 00:00:59.793 the pathways that are outlined for us, you know, being able to take
 19
00:00:59.793 --> 00:01:03.596 those as references is a good, you know, a good to help us like plan.
 20
00:01:03.830 --> 00:01:06.032 But again, you can't plan everything.
 21
00:01:06.032 --> 00:01:07.801 You can't expect everything.
 22
00:01:07.801 --> 00:01:11.905 And when you try to stick to a plan like too tightly,
 23
00:01:11.905 --> 00:01:15.141 I think that also closes you off from a lot of opportunities that you otherwise
 24
00:01:15.708 --> 00:01:16.943 wouldn't have encountered.
 25
00:01:16.943 --> 00:01:21.381 Like, you know, I kind of decided to apply to this program on a whim.
 26
00:01:21.714 --> 00:01:24.084 It wasn't something I had planned for to go to grad school
 27
00:01:24.084 --> 00:01:26.319 because no one ever told me I really should.
 28
00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:30.490 So if I had just thought, well, you know, I don't have good grades.
 29
00:01:30.657 --> 00:01:33.460 I didn't do these things by this date.
 30
00:01:33.460 --> 00:01:35.361 I shouldn't go to grad school. I wouldn't be here.
 

I recommend attending a community college first and then working as a political practitioner either before, during, or after earning a four-year bachelor's degree before attending graduate school.

I come from an Asian refugee family and often felt othered by my peers in the affluent conservative community I grew up in.

In my higher education journey, there's rarely been a time where I wasn't working at least two jobs while going to school. I love academia but I'm not always able to focus completely on it because I have to supplement myself through other work.

As a Ph.D. candidate, I study immigrant and refugee communities and issues of poverty and immigration enforcement. My family is Vietnamese, so I'm really interested in examining how welfare programs, policing, and immigration enforcement systems impact our community. As a teaching assistant, I run discussion sections, where I help students understand class material, answer any questions, and prepare for assignments. I also hold office hours and spend a lot of time grading.

Teaching Assistant

Choices

Planning

It’s Okay To Take Different Paths

That mindset of following what it is you want to do and sticking with that.
 2
00:00:05.705 --> 00:00:08.875 What advice would you give to someone who is doing that,
 3
00:00:08.875 --> 00:00:13.413 but may be struggling to make some wise
 4
00:00:13.413 --> 00:00:17.317 or intelligent decisions about how they're going about doing that?
 5
00:00:18.184 --> 00:00:21.721 You have to like the career that you choose
 6
00:00:22.188 --> 00:00:25.725 and you may not know exactly how that path is going to go.
 7
00:00:26.026 --> 00:00:28.094 I mean, my path here wasn't a straight line.
 8
00:00:28.128 --> 00:00:32.032 It was various departments and stuff, and you'll probably be
 9
00:00:32.032 --> 00:00:33.133 on a very similar path.
 10
00:00:33.133 --> 00:00:35.335 And then all of sudden you'll find something
 11
00:00:35.335 --> 00:00:38.938 that clicks and that's what you pursue wholeheartedly.
 12
00:00:38.972 --> 00:00:42.542 But I would say that's probably a pretty diverse category still,
 13
00:00:42.542 --> 00:00:44.010 and you have to try different things
 14
00:00:44.010 --> 00:00:48.148 to see what really fits with you, what clicks, what do you enjoy to do.
 15
00:00:48.214 --> 00:00:53.153 Because you know what I'm used to with with my job, it's a lot of hours.
 16
00:00:53.553 --> 00:00:55.555 But I again, I enjoy the people.
 17
00:00:55.555 --> 00:00:57.390 I enjoy the products that we build.
 18
00:00:57.390 --> 00:01:01.428 So there's a lot of pride in what I do, but I like what I do.
 19
00:01:01.895 --> 00:01:05.298 So I'm okay with some of the other personal sacrifices.
 20
00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:08.334 And so I think for you, you'll have to try
 21
00:01:08.535 --> 00:01:11.704 some different things in the area that you're interested in. And
 22
00:01:13.273 --> 00:01:14.574 there's always going to be naysayers.
 23
00:01:14.574 --> 00:01:16.676 You just have to pursue your dreams.
 

I highly recommend finding a mentor in the area you're interested in. Mentors greatly helped me when I was starting out, and I now find fulfillment in mentoring others. Figure out what brings you enjoyment, pursue that, and find a mentor or two to help. They can give advice on how they've found success and share the mistakes and failures they've experienced. If you don't have to repeat that failure, that's great.

My days revolve around overseeing a dynamic team of engineers split between mass production and new model development. I guide our daily operations team in enhancing vehicle quality and liaising with suppliers to sustain high standards across production. Simultaneously, I steer another team focused on developing new models, ensuring the vehicle's functionality aligns with Toyota's standards. Beyond the technicalities, mentoring the next generation of engineers profoundly enriches my role.

Group Manager of Quality Control Engineering

Following Your Path And Sticking With It

I'm someone who loves to work with my hands it's the one thing I know
 2
00:00:04.070 --> 00:00:07.073 I want from whatever future career I get into.
 3
00:00:07.507 --> 00:00:11.111 But I'm also trying to figure out where I want to go.
 4
00:00:11.111 --> 00:00:15.215 So I'm very, very open to trying new experiences and jobs.
 5
00:00:15.215 --> 00:00:19.619 So what would you like give advice for someone who wants to approach that?
 6
00:00:19.619 --> 00:00:21.354 My advice would be to do it.
 7
00:00:21.354 --> 00:00:23.123 I mean, don't be afraid.
 8
00:00:23.123 --> 00:00:28.123 I wish I was more adventurous and I think I wish I had been more open
 9
00:00:28.495 --> 00:00:32.032 to trying new things and not trying to just follow a certain path.
 10
00:00:32.032 --> 00:00:36.503 So my biggest advice is to do it to try different things.
 11
00:00:36.503 --> 00:00:39.873 The best way for you to find your passion is to actually experience it.
 12
00:00:40.040 --> 00:00:42.809 You might find something that you thought you would love and you're going to hate,
 13
00:00:42.809 --> 00:00:47.614 but that's all part of the process and we're all afraid of failure.
 14
00:00:47.614 --> 00:00:51.217 I think I feel less affected by it than I used to
 15
00:00:51.618 --> 00:00:54.054 because I know that, you know, mistakes are going to happen.
 16
00:00:54.054 --> 00:00:58.358 You can have all this information and make the logical correct decision,
 17
00:00:58.358 --> 00:00:59.926 but it can be completely wrong
 18
00:00:59.926 --> 00:01:03.229 because there's always factors that you may not see coming in
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00:01:03.696 --> 00:01:05.098 and you just have to be comfortable with that.
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00:01:05.098 --> 00:01:07.400 And if you make a failure, it's okay to feel bad about it.
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00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:08.635 It's okay to make mistakes.
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00:01:08.635 --> 00:01:10.770 You know, I get hard on myself, I get upset.
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00:01:11.004 --> 00:01:12.172 There's nothing wrong with that.
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00:01:12.172 --> 00:01:15.108 Feel those feelings and then learn from that and move on.
 

2023 Indiana Roadtrip
first-in-family
changed-major

I can't say I'd recommend getting a degree in psychology to do my work. I'd recommend a mechanical engineering technology degree if you wanted to attend school first. However, you can also find employers that will pay for schooling. So you can work in this field without the educational background up front and pursue it after. That way, you can see if it's the right fit and then potentially work to become an engineer or engineer technician, or pivot to something else if the fit isn't right.

I lost two best friends within 10 days of each other. The loss caused my to take a hard look at my life and career. It ultimately pushed me to pursue the career I have now.

A typical day starts with looking at which projects I have that need to be completed first. Then I work with engineers on any questions or issues that arise. My typical daily tasks include wire drawing, testing, and moving material around.

Research and Development Technician

Failure

Try Different Things

To me, it's not about the money.
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00:00:01.368 --> 00:00:04.604 I wanted to do something that I really enjoyed, find something
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00:00:04.604 --> 00:00:05.405 I'm passionate about.
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00:00:05.405 --> 00:00:08.942 And when everything kept coming back to money, that's when I knew.
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00:00:08.942 --> 00:00:10.110 I'm like, This isn't for me.
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00:00:10.110 --> 00:00:12.812 And I decided to pursue something that I enjoyed.
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00:00:12.912 --> 00:00:16.249 So being able to kind of pivot into different things has helped me
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00:00:16.483 --> 00:00:17.851 figure things out as I go.
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00:00:17.851 --> 00:00:20.453 And by no means do I know where I'm going.
 10
00:00:20.453 --> 00:00:22.389 But that's the whole point is the experience of it.
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00:00:22.389 --> 00:00:24.891 I want to be able to find it by doing.
 12
00:00:24.891 --> 00:00:26.359 Hi, my name is Mario Gomez.
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00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:30.463 I am a research and development technician here at Fort Wayne Metals. We
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00:00:30.463 --> 00:00:34.467 manufacture precision wire and components mainly for the medical industry.
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00:00:34.567 --> 00:00:38.671 We actually service different companies in 55 different countries,
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00:00:38.872 --> 00:00:41.808 but we do have some materials that we do make for,
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00:00:42.308 --> 00:00:43.910 for example, the aerospace industry.
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00:00:43.910 --> 00:00:48.782 So a lot of what I do here in Fort Wayne Metals is kind of helping bridge
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00:00:48.815 --> 00:00:51.284 that next step of what we're doing with our materials.
 

Exploration

Explore, Hustle, And Find Whatever Makes You Happy

Explore, Hustle, And Find Whatever Makes You Happy

Sally Saba

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