Growing up, my father was a technician and I was always interested in their work. As a child he would bring me into his lab, and I was able to see firsthand the precision and intricacy of engineering. This inspired me to participate in a STEM, engineering focused program in Highschool. In this program I was able to gain experience with CAD technology, and the design process. Right after high school I decided to place my engineering career on hold to continue my family’s tradition of service to our country and that calling lead me to my local Marine Corps recruiting office. I served five years in the Marines as a Helicopter mechanic on the CH-53E Sea Stallion. Here I discovered my passion for working with aircraft. I learned how to troubleshoot, and work with people from every background to accomplish a common goal. One of the things I am most proud I did was managing a work center of 65 Marines. I had to ensure they were accomplishing the current days tasks, ensure they were improving in their technical skills to gain further qualifications, and I had to make sure any personal issues my Marines had were managed accordingly. I had to be more than a boss, I had to be a leader, and a mentor.After serving I was honorably discharged and was accepted to San Diego State to pursue my dream of becoming a Mechanical Engineer. While, studying I accepted a summer internship with Northrop Grumman. This amazing opportunity gave me the chance to see in person what engineers do every day and sparked my interest into the defense industry. After graduation I accepted a role as a Systems Test Engineer at Northrop Grumman to continue to serve my country and support the warfighter.