CourtesyChristopher Wright not only has a job as a Communication and Navigation technician in the Air Force but is now graduating with a physics degree.
Wright is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2021 graduation. Learn more about his time at Wichita State and what is next for the grad.
What degree did you earn?
I am completing my Bachelor of Science in physics.
What is your hometown?
I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas.
What led you to Wichita State?
My job as a Communication and Navigation technician in the U.S. Air Force.
How are you feeling leading up to graduation?
I am feeling anxiety, excitement and trepidation but I know afterwards I’ll feel nothing but elated.
What has been your most helpful learning experience while a student at Wichita State?
The most helpful learning experience has been time management.
What has been your biggest challenge as a student, and how did you overcome it?
Deployments and general life events continuously getting in the way of academic progress. Fortunately, most of my professors were very understanding and worked with me carefully to ensure that I completed the course requirements on a more flexible schedule. I could not have done it without them.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will continue pursuing my career in the military.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your time at Wichita State or your post-graduation plans?
I actually contracted COVID-19 during the 2020 fall semester which put me out for a solid 2 weeks. Again, very understanding faculty made it easy for me to get back on my feet.
What advice would you give other Wichita State students?
Don’t give up. Whether it is one class, one homework assignment, one hour of study at a time if you have to, but keep pushing forward. It has taken me 15 years to complete this bachelors. If you were to ask me if I would change anything, my likely answer would be, no. That ‘no’ comes with the understanding that everything I have done up to this point hasn’t been wasted. Whether it was time invested in my family, my work or myself — I value all of it.
