By far the most valuable aspect of my USMSM experience was the real-world context in which academic lessons were given.
Name: Grady Klaas
Major: Mechanical Engineering
It is important to understand that the majority of professors teaching at USMSM also work with the DoD as Civilian Engineers. This introduces a very unique aspect to our education that helps it stand out from the main campus experience. During lessons, professors would frequently contextualize the material being presented with scenarios that would be applicable to an engineer with the DoD. A prime example of this occurred in my Fluid Dynamics course, where we contextualized the study of flow within pipes by looking at the fuel delivery systems found in many US fighter jets. This is incredibly valuable for us students at USMSM, as we can see exactly where the lessons we learn can be applied. For students working with the DoD, such as myself, it is even more helpful as it provides insight to the different projects and mechanisms that DoD Engineers work with. To sum this all up, the lessons learned at USMSM directly contributed to my aptitude as a Mechanical Engineer with the Department of Defense.
After earning my Associate of Science in Engineering (AS) at the College of Southern Maryland, I wanted to stay local while completing my Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.
College Park had been my dream institution since high school, so I was thrilled to attend the main campus and finish out my degree. However, I secured an engineering internship with the Department of Defense at NSWC Indian Head Division around this time. I was now faced with a tough choice - do I attend classes at UMD's main campus and sacrifice my ability to participate in this new internship position? Fortunately, I was informed about UMD's campus at USMSM and got an idea. Attending classes at USMSM would allow me to commute within Southern Maryland, allowing me to stay local. This would ensure that I received the degree I had been planning for, while also maintaining part-time employment within my internship position. This arrangement worked out wonderfully, as I was able to receive a quality education while building career experiences within my field of study. The ability to apply the lessons learned in classes within a professional setting enriched my education even further. I have no regrets with the decision I made to attend courses at USMSM, and I would recommend this course of action to anyone that is in a similar position as myself.
My current career plans are to convert to a full-time Mechanical Engineer with NSWC Indian Head Division when I graduate in December 2025.
The professional experiences I accrued during my time at USMSM allowed me to develop a strong career foundation with this organization. With numerous projects already under my belt, I am certain that my professional position within my chosen field as a Naval Civilian will bring fulfillment for years to come.
By far my most memorable experience while at USMSM was my attendance of a classmate's wedding during the Spring '25 semester.
I developed a tight-knit group of friends within my classes during my time at this campus, getting so close with them that I had been invited to one of their weddings! The ceremony was beautiful, the bride and groom were ecstatic, and all of us in attendance were incredibly happy for them. We played tons of fun games afterwards and they even had Olive Garden catering (my favorite!!!). I would not have been privileged enough to attend this event if it weren't for the relationships I made at USMSM.
I faced many challenges during my time at USMSM. The majority of these challenges boiled down to scheduling issues and trying to work around a part-time employment schedule.
As USMSM is a unique campus with a lower student population, not all Mechanical Engineering courses are offered at this campus. However, the staff at USMSM made great efforts to bring all of the core courses and electives needed for graduation to this campus. As a result, I never once had to attend any classes at the College Park campus. The professors within the Mechanical Engineering program at USMSM also catered academic schedules to the professional schedules of the students in their courses. I can recall many times during my USMSM experience that class times were rearranged or rescheduled to consolidate students' academic schedules to 2 or 3 days a week. Nearly all of my professors allowed for us students to choose when we wanted the class times to occur. This was made possible in-part by the small class sizes at this campus, but the driving force behind this was the professors' desires to make our schooling as stress-free as possible. As a result, I was able to work for the DoD for the entirety of my time at USMSM - no professional hiatus necessary!
Advice to future Engineers:
Internships, internships, internships! USMSM is a unique campus that provides a lot of exposure to the professional side of engineering. Because many of the professors at this campus work with the DoD, they are also a great resource for securing employment opportunities with the government. I have witnessed multiple classmates of mine secure internships with the Navy and Air Force as a result of the relationships we built with our professors. The education you receive at this campus is enhanced by pursuing these career opportunities, as you earn a chance to apply the lessons learned within professional settings. If you choose to take classes at USMSM, don't be afraid to ask the professors for help with pursuing employment opportunities, it is one of the things they do best!
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