Profile in Professionalism

Anwar Ross

2010 mechanical engineering grad from Long Island, NY

Why York?

I chose to go to York College because I could envision myself walking through its halls. I visited a couple of other schools, and they lacked a certain intangible appeal. I felt out of place walking the grounds of a larger school. York offered something not many other schools can, an opportunity to develop personal relationships.

I saw the potential for those relationships in my first visit to the campus, when I witnessed a student in the machine shop interacting with faculty. It genuinely seemed as though they were on a deeper level than the typical professor to student-who-is-just-a-number scenario. They knew each other; that’s important when you are putting in a lot of long hours and hard work. You want the person who is teaching you to have a vested interest in whether or not you succeed.

I am happy to say that four years later, my observations have been more than confirmed. I feel as though all of the professors I have had were sincerely concerned with helping me grow as both a person and an engineer.

As an engineering major, what kind of relationship did you have with faculty?

I also feel as though I know all of the engineering faculty quite well. At one point or another, I have had deep discussions with them that often stemmed from a simple topic started in class. I have worked on side projects with them, biked the rail trail with them, and seek advice in personal life from them on a regular basis. This is only possible because I respect their knowledge and abilities, and in kind, they respect my eagerness to learn and grow.

Where did you do your co-ops?

I took my first co-op position at Tyco Electronics. That was an excellent place to initially experience the engineering work environment. I was exposed to both large-scale responsibility and firsthand mentor guidance. That experience allowed me to grow and truly utilize many of the skills and abilities the engineering program at York College had already provided me with, namely advanced problem-solving techniques.

The second two co-op positions I held were under the employment of Komax Solar. There, I was able to expand upon an even wider variety of both engineering and general professional employee skills and abilities. I was asked to tackle very large-scale (budget and impact) projects; this involved interfacing with both customers and vendors, as well as giving management presentations. All of this instilled me with a greater sense of confidence and served to further my career prowess.

Plans after graduation?

I plan on returning to New York after graduation and pursuing a career in professional engineering, likely consulting. I would like to further my education and pursue graduate-level instruction in an advanced technical field, namely alternative energy.

Did York College prepare you well for your career?

I feel well prepared for a successful career in engineering. I not only received a comprehensive technical education, but I was also educated in the art of living effectively as a member of society. I developed many friendships and a sense of camaraderie from my years on the wrestling team. I also took part in many of the campus activities, which allowed to get to know new groups of people and further expand my social network.

I am passionate about letting people know how much I've enjoyed my time spent at York College . . . even pulling all-nighters to get assignment completed on time. It may have been a bumpy ride, but the most rocky moments only served to enrich the experience.  It has been one heck of a ride, and in retrospect, I enjoyed every minute of it.