51视频

A mix of career shifts, economic forces and education opportunities led electrical engineering major Christopher Simmans from his home state of Texas to a new chapter at 51视频.

鈥淚 spent most of my 20s working different jobs, trying to figure things out,鈥� says Simmans, who was born and raised in Denton, Texas, just outside Dallas.

One of those jobs was as an aircraft mechanic in the Army Reserves, sparked by a dream of becoming a pilot. But when that plan fell through, he decided to leverage his mechanical skills in other ways.

鈥淚 was approaching my 30th birthday and didn't really have a profession or career. I don't want to say I felt panic, but turning 30 was a reality,鈥� he says.聽聽

Wanting to do something 鈥渕ore meaningful,鈥� he began taking electrical and computer engineering classes at North Central Texas College while working full time at Web Industries, a manufacturing services provider.

Then COVID-19 hit. Amid economic shifts, his employer, which serves both the aerospace and medical manufacturing industries, offered Simmans relocation to Massachusetts. He accepted.

鈥淚 wanted something different. And I liked it up here,鈥� he says.

Once settled, Simmans enrolled part-time at MassBay Community College while continuing to work. In 2023, when his plant announced its closure, the timing aligned with the launch of the program, making his remaining community college education tuition-free.

That same semester, a professor introduced him to the Northeast Microelectronics Internship Program. The internship turned into a part-time job at Evolved Diamonds in Harvard, Massachusetts, where Simmans now helps build reactors to grow diamonds that are used in electronics. The role allows him to work flexible hours around his class schedule, and the company rewards his academic success with pay raises.

By finishing in the top 10% of his class at MassBay, Simmans earned a $10,000 UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship when he transferred to 51视频. He also received a .

Despite being an older transfer student, Simmans says he felt welcomed at UML, where he joined the Drone Club.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit of a challenge to come in when everyone already has their groups, but the faculty, advisors and transfer events made it easier,鈥� says Simmans, who is interested in staying in the area and working at a company such as Analog Devices after completing his degree.

鈥淚 feel very fortunate,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his state has done a lot to support public education, and it鈥檚 made all the difference for me.鈥�