On Thursday, October 16, Manny Santana ’13 made a special visit to campus to share information about his accomplishments in the field of engineering since graduating from Vaughn College, and give advice to current students on how to achieve future success. During his presentation he thanked the engineering department for their hard work and ongoing dedication to the students.

“The professors here are really committed to what they do,” Santana said.  “It is because of them that I excelled and new opportunities were presented to me.”

At the age of 28, the veteran became part of the Vaughn community when he enrolled in the mechanical engineering technology program.  He knew at that point in his life that he needed a challenge and Vaughn became the catalyst to bring him to the next level.

While enrolled as a full-time student at Vaughn, Santana also worked full-time at Arkwin Industries in Long Island as a test engineer. He also found time to support and attend on-campus activities and compete in tournaments to showcase academic achievements.

Though the road was sometimes rough, Santana realized that hard work and dedication would eventually pay off for him.  After graduating from Vaughn College, he earned a position as a quality assurance specialist with the Department of Defense.

Santana advised students to “take advantage of any internship opportunities you find while you are in college to help prepare you for your future.” He also provided the students’ with supportive information regarding yearly internships offered by the Department of Defense.

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Manny Santana speaks to Vaughn Community.