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When Edie began her higher education journey, her area of study was Exercise Science. However, after her freshman year, she realized that the school that she was attending and the program that she had chosen were not the right fit for her. That is when she began looking into other programs and found ������Ƶ’s Advanced Automation and Robotics Technology program. The program interested her because she had been heavily involved in her high school robotics team and had always enjoyed figuring out problems and fixing things.

After being accepted into ������Ƶ, Edie was hopeful that she would receive a more hands-on learning experience, as well as to experience a more at-home environment.. Fortunately, Edie said that is exactly what she found at ������Ƶ. Coming from a much larger university, she enjoyed the small and inclusive classroom setting and the personal relationship that she was able to build with her classmates and instructors. Edie described ������Ƶ as a college where “everyone wants you to succeed and is there for you. If you have questions, you can get an almost immediate response from your professor.” On top of that, she said school was no longer a competition of vying for the professor’s attention or competing with her classmates. She was now able to enjoy learning and growing through her education. After over a year of feeling disconnected from her actual field of study, Edie went directly into classes that she loved, and she began practicing for her future profession.

Edie pointed out one instructor, Steve Green, who made a big difference in her ������Ƶ experience. Green is an instructor of Industrial Technology and Advanced Automation & Robotics and is proficient in his field with multiple years of real-world experience. Edie said that in almost every class he brought the students an interactive problem requiring them to solve through trouble shooting. This gave her hands-on training for her future career and boosted her self-confidence. 

Edie currently works at Catalent, which is a pharmaceutical company located in Bloomington, Indiana. She is excited to work hard with the goal of eventually overseeing a full production line. She plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering after earning some practical experience in the workforce. Even after graduation in May 2022, Edie’s passion for advanced automation and robotics only continues to grow. When asked why she loves the field so much, Edie stated that the automation and robotic field can be compared to a large game of sudoku—it’s a large puzzle needing a solution. She enjoys the challenges it brings and how enjoyable it is to find the answers.

Edie encourages those unsure about ������Ƶ to explore the large range of programs offered and to choose the one that most interests them and then go for it. Although change and trying something new can be difficult, she knows her decision was worth it. “������Ƶ was an absolutely wonderful experience. I loved my classes and had little trouble because everyone wanted to help. ������Ƶ has a culture of service and genuinely wants its students to achieve great things.” Edie is extremely grateful for the impact that ������Ƶ has made in her life and the opportunities that it has opened for her.