Jacob Stonehill, a PhD student in Nuclear Engineering at The Ohio State University, stood up in front of other students interested in aerospace and told his story. This community conversation was very different from our usual events with a guest speaker embedded in industry. This was an opportunity for students to learn more of the personal toll and thoughts of going through an undergraduate degree, finding his way to graduate school, and working full-time.
Jacob started by talking about how he struggled early in his undergraduate career. He told students about the first time he failed a class and how he had to be honest with himself about what was happening. He also discussed coming back to college and with new experiences and better equipped to handle the work and be more accountable for his education.
Jacob asked the students what they imagined their majors would turn into when they graduate. He emphasized the importance of using their time in college to find areas that they enjoy working in and leveraging their major to gain the skills and experience they will need to enter that field. "I wish someone had told me to look deeper into the industry when I first started," Jacob told the students.
Students asked about his experience working full-time while earning his graduate degree. Jacob talked about how important his network and community have been in supporting his journey. He listed off family members, friends, faculty members, and even the Battelle Center as places that have supported him as he deals with a stressful schedule and a goal that he is striving to achieve.
