I grew up on a farm. I had exactly one computer class in high school and I had no idea what an engineer did.
Although I’m wildly proud of my heritage and deeply respect my family and their lifestyle, I always knew that I wanted a different life for myself. I also knew that I’d have to figure out how to finance my new path.
I believed that education was core to my future…even though I had no idea what that future would hold. So, I threw myself into education and athletics with the goal of a full-ride college scholarship.
My years of work paid off! I landed the coveted full-ride academic scholarship and an added athletic scholarship that made daily living expenses much easier to manage.
The offer came from a school renowned for engineering. I didn’t know what that was and had never met an engineer, but I knew I could learn. I was in!
This is how my journey to a life in technology began. Below is a picture of my first “real” engineering job. I was a bioventing field engineer. Yes, I was digging a ditch in rain that went on for days. And yes, that is a US Air Force base…I’ll save the details of this for another story 😉
As you approach 2023, remember to control what you can control. Write your own story. You’ve no idea where faith in yourself can take you!