Jonathan C Faulkner, Mechanical Engineering Alum

 

 

Degree(s) 

B.S Mechanical Engineering (2022), M.S Mechanical Engineering (2024)

Current Residence 

Millington, Tennessee

Current Employer 

University of Memphis

 

 

 

 

 

What influenced your decision to attend Herff College of Engineering? 

I had family that attended the University of Memphis. This heavily impacted my decision to attend Memphis and I knew I wanted to go into engineering for a good portion of my life and I knew Herff College was my best option in my pursuit of becoming an engineer.

How did Herff prepare you for your career? 

The general curriculum at Herff best prepared me I would say. At Herff college I was challenged academically throughout my undergraduate program and even now in my graduate studies. It developed characteristics that are valuable for an aspiring engineer.

What skills or knowledge did you learn throughout the program that you found most helpful in your career? 

Throughout my undergraduate studies, I was always told that time management is crucial for success in the program. This is especially true now that I am a PhD student. Learning how to handle failure and to improve based on said failure is another skill I picked up being enrolled at Herff.

Who was your most impactful professor? Why? 

The most impactful professor I had was Dr.Tan. While I do still have other professor I respect and have a relationship with. Dr.Tan's difficult courses forced me to learn the material well. In those classes I probably learned the most.

Were you involved in student groups? If so, which one(s)? 

I was involved in Tiger Baja for about a year.

What support(s) did you have during your time as a college student? How did you keep focused on the goal? 

My family and friends in the program provided a lot of support during my time as an undergraduate student and even to this day as a PhD student. One way I kept focused on the goal was knowing that people were in it with me.

What was your greatest memory from your time at Herff? 

That is a difficult question. I have a lot of great memories at Herff but if I had to pick one it was after my senior design conference. Knowing I had made it to the finish line in my undergrad was a great feeling. It was a feeling of relief and a time to celebrate with my friends.

What advice would you give those considering enrolling in Herff College of Engineering?  

Know what you're getting into. There are many misconceptions about engineering. While we do get to design amazing things, there is a lot of hard work involved in designing and building them.

What do you know now that you wish you had known during your time at Herff? 

I would say I wish I knew how fast my time at Herff would fly by. I would say I wish I would have lived more in the moment.

Was your Herff experience worth the price? If you could do it over again, what would you do differently? 

My Herff experience was definitely worth the price. If I were to do it over again I would try to live in the moment more and not worry about the future.