Hesston Experience

chemistry lab assistant; chemistry tutor; Student Development Committee; men’s basketball team; junior high Sunday School teacher at Whitestone Mennonite Church

Inspiration to Switch

I always thought I would go into medicine, but once I was at Hesston, I found I really enjoyed chemistry and switched paths. I remember an engineer speaking to our class about the field, and it really seemed to fit what I was looking for in a career. Jim Yoder and his passions for chemistry and teaching were instrumental in my decision to pursue chemical engineering. My relationships with Hesston students and instructors alike have and will continue to impact my life.

On Preparedness

My Hesston instructors pushed me academically, and I appreciate that I could be a part of a strong math and science department. They prepared me to continue my education at Colorado School of Mines (Golden), a public research university devoted to engineering and applied science with responsible stewardship of the earth and its resources. Mines has the highest admission standards of any public university in Colorado and is among the highest of any public university in the U.S. I also really enjoyed and appreciate the general education courses and specialized courses like Biblical Literature I had at Hesston. These types of courses are often not available at larger engineering-focused universities, so having the chance to take those courses was great.

The View from Everywhere

I graduated from Colorado School of Mines in May 2007 with a degree in chemical engineering.

I work for Anvil Corporation, which is an engineering design firm specializing in capital and maintenance improvement projects for oil refineries, upstream production and oil pipelines. We also do design work in the pulp and paper industry, water treatment and renewable energy.

Making a Difference

I did the majority of the initial design work, along with detailed engineering and construction support to convert a wastewater treatment oily water equalization tank into a bioreactor tank, a more efficient and increased capacity solution for a local refinery. It is the most challenging and rewarding project I have worked on to date, and I have enjoyed watching it progress.