Jessa RaganTransfer and returning adult student Danielle McLean did not start her college career expecting to become an engineer. She first went to college as a journalism major in 1994 and was quickly enamored with the up and coming video production profession.
The Oklahoma native began exploring video and audio production for fun, and her dreams of a career in journalism quickly turned into a dream to work with video and audio. She opened a business called Cheerz 2 U with the help of her brother.
As years passed and new technology handed video and audio production to the average consumer, McLean recognized it was time for her to return to school. She sold her portion of the business to her brother and enrolled in courses at Tulsa Community College (TCC). Coincidentally, she began her journey back to college at the same time as her now 22-year-old daughter.
McLean always knew she wanted to return to school, but instead of delving deeper into journalism, she took a chance on engineering. The challenge of starting over appealed to McLean and her curiosity.
“I used to be really afraid of math, but I actually learned that I'm really good at it,” said McLean. “I just had to get past thinking it was so hard. It just takes practice.”
After securing three associate's degrees from TCC – physics, math and engineering – she transferred to Oklahoma State, a decision that ultimately led her to Wichita State.
Much like WSU, Oklahoma State's engineering and technology career fair gives students opportunities to network with employers and distribute resumes. Wichita's Spirit AeroSystems was one of many potential employers McLean visited. She received an interview and a job offer in less than an hour. McLean gladly accepted Spirit's offer to work as a stress engineer intern for the summer, aware that her internship could be extended into a co-op position, where she would receive tuition reimbursement while working for Spirit.
The prospect of receiving tuition reimbursement was enticing, and McLean was happy to relocate to Wichita.
“When I came to Wichita, I looked around and saw how many airports there were and airline companies,” said McLean. “There is just so much. So many jobs here. So many opportunities. This is a great place to get an education.”
McLean achieved her goal of securing a co-op job with Spirit and will finish her degree at Wichita State in spring 2018. She now works in materials and processes, a change that allows her to apply skills she developed from previous work experience at a metal finishing company in Tulsa.