Robert W. Hewitt Jr., Engineering Technology Alum

Degrees
Bachelors of Science in Engineering Technology ('96)
Master of Science in Engineering Technology ('03)

Current Residence
Memphis, TN

Current Employer
Engineering Technology Department
Herff College of Engineering
University of Memphis

What influenced your decision to attend Herff College of Engineering?
By an overwhelming margin, it was the nature of the Engineering Technology degree that was attractive to me.  It was a perfect fit for my interests and background as a working adult.

How did Herff prepare you for your career?
The Herff College of Engineering challenged me to work hard to achieve exactly what I wanted to out of my career.  The college and the ET department put me in touch with people in industry who were doing the kinds of work that I wanted to do. I was able to build technical expertise, and to take my skills to a new level.

What skills or knowledge did you learn throughout the program that you found most helpful in your career?
Developing an understanding of the statistics behind variation offered key insights into a wide range of problems that affect manufacturing quality assurance. Being able to quantify this variability and find its causes led me to become a better designer.

Who was your most impactful professor? Why?
Most of the professors in the ET department were phenomenal back in the 1990's, but Glenn Davis was the best by an overwhelming margin.  Glenn took time to make sure that those who wanted to learn had as much opportunity as they wanted.  Glenn was an overwhelming presence with a gentle spirit, and he was a gifted teacher.  Teaching was a natural ability for him, and I try to channel that spirit in my own classes.

Were you involved in student groups? If so, which one(s)?
I was heavily involved in SME (formerly the Society of Manufacturing Engineers).

What support(s) did you have during your time as a college student? How did you keep focused on the goal?
Having the option to take classes at night was a huge advantage for me.  I worked as a draftsman and later engineering technician during my time at the University of Memphis. Being able to take night classes made it possible to get my degree while I worked.

What was your greatest memory from your time at Herff?
Learning to run machine tools for the first time.  The hands-on nature of the ET curriculum was hugely appealing to me.

What advice would you give those considering enrolling in Herff College of Engineering?
Find a major that suits you as an individual.  Don't major in something without understanding what those majors do vocationally. Search for job postings that appeal to you and build your education based on what industry is looking for.

What do you know now that you wish you had known during your time at Herff?
Not during my time at Herff, but I wish I had know about Engineering Technology while I was still in high school.

Was your Herff experience worth the price? If you could do it over again, what would you do differently?
Absolutely it was worth the price.  A degree from Memphis was a great value at the time.