Pima Community College · 2020—Present

Pre-engineering, shaped by real-world work.

I returned to college after building a career in technology because I knew I could do more. I now pursue engineering part time while operating two businesses.

Students and faculty participating in an amateur radio activity on the Pima Community College campus
Hands-on student activity · Pima Community College

Why I returned to school

Completing two trade programs gave me a practical foundation and a career centered on solving problems and making my way in the real world. During the pandemic, I decided it was time to apply that same discipline more fully to higher education and enrolled at Pima Community College.

I have completed my general education requirements and progressed through a broad pre-engineering curriculum. Mathematics through Calculus III has been my proudest academic accomplishment and a tangible measure of how far I have come since returning to the classroom.

Programming courses in C and C++ have helped connect formal engineering ideas with the infrastructure, web development, hosting, and custom application work I already perform in business.

Program
Associate degree pathway in pre-engineering at Pima Community College
Proudest milestone
Advancing through Calculus III while attending college part time
Programming
Engineering coursework in C and C++
Remaining work
Physics I, Physics II, and one additional technical credit
Expected completion
May 2028
Long-term direction
Additional engineering and mathematics coursework at Pima, followed by software engineering at the University of Arizona

Engineering perspective

Understanding the system still matters.

AI can make code faster to produce, but speed does not replace judgment. As more software is generated without a complete understanding of how it works, trained engineers who can reason about architecture, correctness, reliability, and long-term maintainability become more valuable—not less.

My background in IT infrastructure, web hosting, custom applications, customer support, and hands-on trade work gives me a practical point of view to bring into software engineering. I understand that technical decisions ultimately have to work for real people, real businesses, and real systems.