Ryan was a student in Brookings from 2018 to 2022 studying to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Though he only spent 4 years on campus, he is a proud Jackrabbit for life! During his time at State he was involved in a variety of activities including intramurals, ultimate frisbee club, robotics club, and even the pep band. Through these activities, Ryan had the opportunity to meet people both inside and outside of his major and build lasting relationships.
Ryan now works as an Application Engineer at Prinsco, a water management solutions company based in central Minnesota. While he had thought the most enjoyable part of his job would be the theory Ryan gets to apply and the problems he gets to solve, he quickly learned there’s more to it than that. The best part of working at Prinsco is the relationships one builds and people you get to work with, something to think about for students looking for full-time positions after college.
As an alumni looking back, hisadvice to students is simple: get involved! It doesn’t matter which organizations you are a part of, getting involved with others outside of class is a great way to build relationships and improve on your interpersonal skills. Not only that but being involved in extracurricular activities shows employers of the drive you have be active. This can make you stand out above other candidates.
For the additional reason of preparing for future employment, it’s also great to take part in events that the Office of Career Development hosts. Ryan utilized mock interview sessions they had organized many times, which helped him to build confidence in himself, polish his resume with feedback, and get to know some of the faculty better.
