Going high tech

I spent three years studying philosophy at a college in Wisconsin, but soon decided it was not what I wanted for my college career. Oregon Tech (www.oit.edu) interested me because it’s the first school in the nation with an ABET accredited program in Renewable Energy Engineering.

When I visited Oregon Tech’s campus, the projects that undergraduate students created, as well as the quality of the equipment used by the students, impressed me. As a first year student, I worked with Electrical Engineering students to design a new charging system for “Pepe,” the Oregon Tech electric car.

My major prepared me for two internships which I really enjoyed.  My first internship was with a photovoltaics provider in California, which focused on the business of renewable energy. The next summer I spent in my home state of Wisconsin working as a quality assurance engineer at a battery factory. 

After graduating, I’ll apply my degree to improve building efficiency, reducing energy costs and improving air quality. I am excited about the opportunities I have been prepared for as a student at Oregon Tech.

Andy Stockwell is a renewable energy engineering major at Oregon Institute of Technology (www.oit.edu). He is from Kenosha, Wis.