Like most veteran students, my transition from military to civilian life was not without hiccups. When I left the United States Marine Corps, I set a goal of becoming an engineer—and I am determined and focused to achieve it.

Since I was six years old, I have been intrigued by science. I even recall answering “scientist” when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. Jump forward to high school in Elkhorn, Neb., however, and my favorite classes were lunch, art, and physical education—in that order. My high school classmates would never have believed that I would ever become a materials science engineer. My interest in science had all but vanished.