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Different Backgrounds­Bright Futures

Two grads come from very different backgrounds and both start their new careers at the same great company. Here are their stories.

A Future Is Found At NEIT
Michael Dwyer
In June of 1998, my life was suddenly turned upside down when it became apparent that, for the second time, I would have to make a career change due to a disability. The first time was tough, but the second was devastating. It had taken years of bouncing from job to job before I found one I truly enjoyed. The thought of going out and spending more years searching for a third perfect job was very depressing. I was 42 years old, with a bad back and no useful job skills. I didn't want to think about the future anymore. All that I had planned for, and looked forward to was gone. Again.
   Every day as I checked the job listing in the paper, I would always notice the ads for New England Tech. I would scan the list of technologies, but it was like reading a foreign language. I had no idea what these technologies were about, but I knew that if I wanted a secure future it would probably be worth my while

to investigate. It so happened that a good friend does public relations work for New England Tech. I asked him, friend to friend, and off the record, if the school was any good. He said, "Mike, they're the best at what they do." I had a flicker of hope.
         I made an appointment to meet with Gerald Hanrahan in Admissions. He patiently explained the different career tracks I could take and I eventually decided on Electronics Technology. I didn't know a proton from an electron, and math and science were my worst subjects in high school, but I found electronics to be less frightening than any of the computer technologies, since I didn't even know how to turn one on. It was less frightening, but not by much.      Next, I met with Diane Bottomley in Financial Aid. I was sure that this would be where this path would end. I explained my financial situation to her, she did some calculations, and said, "What can you afford per month?" I told her, and she drew up a payment plan I could manage. I was stunned, now there was a big glimmer of hope. I think I actually smiled a little, for the first time in months.
      Next was the hardest part. For the first time in 24 years I would be sitting in an algebra class. I was an average student in high school, but that was in 1974. Nixon was president. But now, 24 years later, thanks to Mrs. Dambruch, I got an "A". I was starting to look forward to the future again. No more glimmers, things were actually bright.
      I will, for the rest of my life, be thankful that the teachers I had at NEIT chose this for a career. They are, without a doubt, the best teachers I've ever had- as well as the most caring and giving. Every one of them explains things in such a clear way that even someone like me with no prior experience or knowledge in my technology, can excel. Time after time, throughout my associates degree program I saw teachers offering up their free time to students who might need extra help. These people have turned my life right side up again, given me a future, and I will forever be grateful.
      As I write this, I have just finished my associates degree program. The career fair was a month ago. I chose two companies out of the 15 or 16 that were recruiting ELS students to give resumes to. Within two days both companies called me for interviews and within a week I had two job offers. I started work at EMC right after finals, making $11,000 a year more than my last job paid, and doing something I find fascinating. I can't thank NEIT enough for what they've done for me. They really did change my life.

---Michael Dwyer

NEIT, Ticket To A Better Life
     During most weekdays and while a student at NEIT, Kacielynn (KC) Gregory would leave her home at 6:30 a.m. and not return until 6:30 p.m. Her day would include dropping her son at day care, traveling to school (with a commute of 40 miles), going to classes, reporting to her on-campus work study position, picking up her son, and then doing all the work that needed to be done at home. Despite the grueling schedule, it was something she wanted and needed to do. A degree was her ticket to a better life for her and her son, and a necessary step to get off welfare. Life's hard knocks resulted in her need to be a welfare recipient - she decided to take control of her life to change her situation.
      KC had worked in a club as a cashier prior to coming to NEIT, a job that would never provide her with a good income. When she enrolled at New England Tech, she chose a major that would provide the opportunity to work
Kacielynn (KC) Gregory
in a nontraditional field, with full realization that women can thrive in nontraditional settings. She enjoyed working with her hands and picked the Electronics Technology program. She and another female student shared their ELS classes with all men; however, KC never felt out of place. She said she was always treated with respect and immediately fit right in. During the program, her son became very ill and was in and out of Boston hospitals. He also suffered from asthma, which would require KC to leave class to pick him up from school. Again, she overcame difficult situations by staying focused on her need to get her degree. KC found tremendous support in her professors and took advantage of the extra help that was offered by them.
      KC's hard work and perseverance paid off. Prior to finishing the program she found that many employers wanted grads with electronics skills, and after some interviews with really good employers, she chose EMC Corporation. She is employed at EMC as a production technician and her future looks extremely bright.
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