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“We are thrilled to invite you to tune into our new Futureproof Focus podcast which focuses on the latest news, career opportunities and insights in the exciting fields of engineering, technology, management and aviation. Through unscripted, honest conversations with prominent industry, student, faculty and alumni guests, we will explore diversity, equity and inclusion in education and employment, and the forces that drive personal and career growth.”

HOST: Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo
President and Chief Executive Officer
Vaughn College

Latest Episodes

Unlocking Career Opportunities with Vaughn’s Robotic Automation and Engineering Certification Programs

20:30  |  November 25, 2024

Sharon DeVivo, Vaughn College president and CEO, sits down with Doug Jahnke, assistant professor of engineering and technology, to discuss the new cutting-edge programmable logic controller (PLC) and robotic automation certificate program.

An Alumna’s Journey to the Right Seat of the Flight Deck

32:07  |  October 3, 2024

Tune in to to hear Xylene DeCoteau’s ’20 journey to becoming a first officer at Mesa Airlines, and how you, too, can start on your path to becoming a pilot at Vaughn College. She discusses her flight training, how she landed her job and her goals for the future. You won’t want to miss this […]

PSA Airlines Brings Coaching and Expertise to Vaughn’s Aerospace Maintenance Competition Team

33:32  |  July 1, 2024

Richard Ugarte, vice president of maintenance and engineering at PSA Airlines discusses the unique partnership with Vaughn where his staff coached the Aviation Maintenance Team to complete in the MRO Americas in Chicago, which had its best showing of 90 teams in April. The conversation also covers a range of timely topics including the aviation […]

Empowering Women to Fly Drones: Insights from the Founder of Women Who Drone

26:53  |  May 31, 2024

Elena Buenrostro discusses how her company, Women Who Drone, is connecting people, especially young women from underrepresented communities, who love drones through shared stories, education and career opportunities.

Making an Impact with Engineering: Building the Supply Chain for Offshore Wind

16:08  |  March 11, 2024

In this episode, we speak to Vaughn mechanical engineering alum Okera Bullen ’22 about his job at a pure electrification company called Nexans working in supply chain management. He speaks about his passion to have a positive impact on society and the world as a whole which brought him to Nexans, which supplies the cable […]

Tips to Help Finance Your College Education

29:16  |  January 31, 2024

We know that the cost of attending college can sometimes seem insurmountable, and many students and families worry about affordability. But the evidence is clear—students with bachelor’s degrees earn $1.2 million more and Vaughn College is the best in the nation at moving students to the top 40 percent income—a strong indication of Vaughn’s return […]

Drone Careers: Navigating the Present and Future Skies

32:30  |  January 8, 2024

Embark on a journey into the dynamic world of drone careers with Vaughn adjunct professor and aviation attorney Loretta Alkalay in the latest episode of Futureproof Focus. Uncover the diverse career paths drones offer, from drone design, operation and safety, while addressing the need for more women in the field. Join us for an enlightening […]

Supporting an Energy Efficient Future: Offshore Wind and Composites

33:10  |  November 30, 2023

In episode 10, Phil Rugile, Executive Director of the Institute for Workforce Advancement and the OSW Supply Chain delves into the world of composites and offshore wind careers. Rugile outlines initiatives to bridge the gap between the kind of careers students are exposed to and the actual opportunities that exist in composite manufacturing and offshore […]

Sustainability and Female Empowerment in Engineering

21:33  |  September 18, 2023

In episode 9, Suraiya Nawaz ’24 discusses how her several internship experiences (at LaGuardia, the Port Authority, Tesla and Whirlpool) helped to realize the type of work she wants to do with her mechatronic engineering degree from Vaughn.

Mechanical Engineering Graduate Lands Position at Power Company

20:14  |  July 6, 2023

In episode 8, learn how Philip Bredu ’22 came all the way from Ghana at age 18 to attend college in the US and pursue his passion for science, math and physics. He quickly transferred to Vaughn and fell in love with mechanical engineering. Vaughn helped him land an internship at Georgia Power which led to a job, which he currently holds today. Tune in and get inspired by Philip’s success story!