When he wasn't getting the true hands-on design experience he hoped for at his previous school, Dylan knew it was time for a change. That's when he found Penn College. Today, he's pursuing his bachelor's in Engineering Design Technology, interning with BMW, and moving full-throttle towards a career in automotive design.
I loved playing with Legos and transformer action figures growing up as they presented some sort of challenge. Having something that you could start in one form and completely change it at any time was a fun idea for me. I would often build the Lego sets by the directions once, then use the pieces to create whatever I wanted. I was also involved in a weeklong Lego robotics event in elementary school which I think just fueled my desire to make things.
Yes, I was in Maryland’s Dual Completer engineering program, which was sponsored through Project Lead the Way (PLTW). I loved taking CAD classes in high school, as well as being able to apply the math/sciences I was learning, to real world problems.
I attended Frostburg State University for my first year of college (2019-2020) in their University of Maryland (UMD) Mechanical Engineering program. This was a way for more local students to obtain a degree through UMD, without having to relocate downstate. I took many advanced-level courses during my first year there, as well as most of my general education classes. Ultimately, I wasn’t happy at Frostburg. I loved doing CAD in high school, but when I looked at the course list at Frostburg, there was only one CAD class offered. The design aspect of the profession was what I was in love with, not the complex testing side.
After things weren’t working out at Frostburg, I considered switching majors entirely, from engineering to architecture. I simply searched schools with architecture degrees, Penn College was one of them. Penn College sparked my interest with its small class sizes and more hands-on approach to education. Upon further investigation of the other majors, I found the Engineering Design Technology program. This was just what I wanted out of my engineering degree and the rest is history. I tell people that it had to have been fate, as any school could have popped up, but Penn College was the first on the list. There isn’t a day that goes by that I'm not thankful for transferring. The program at Penn College is exceptional and allowed me to flourish in ways I would have never been able to at Frostburg.
When I first decided on transferring institutions, I was not able to tour the College because of COVID. The deadline for my decision came and I made the leap of faith, without even visiting the campus. I was later able to have a tour, but this was approximately three weeks before classes started. Upon my arrival, I loved the ambience of the campus, all the trees/flowers were very welcoming. Walking around campus is still one of my favorite things to do, no matter the weather. I also was very impressed with how updated the facilities are at Penn College and how improvements are continually being made.
It has exceeded my expectations by a long shot. Coming from Frostburg, I had no real idea of where life was taking me, but my time at Penn College has been great. I know almost all my professors on a personal level, they aren’t afraid to stop and say hi in passing, and overall, the staff is much friendlier. I have been able to meet some lifelong friends here and even more professional networking connections. The courses are constantly being updated for industry readiness and I can see a difference from myself and students from other institutions.
"There isn’t a day that passes that I am not grateful for Penn College. If it weren’t for the great education I am receiving, I would have never been able to land the position I am in. Penn College is on a level other institutions can’t even begin to compete with. Hands-on education is (or should be) the future of higher education in the United States."
Dillon's love of working on cars motivated him to seek out his current internship with BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The automotive industry is his dream field after graduation. "The thought of being able to go out anywhere in public and see my work pass by, is so enticing," he said. "Knowing that my work helped make a difference in society and even saved some lives, would mean the world to me."
In addition to taking classes and working at his internship, Dillon is restoring his dad’s old car from high school—a 1974 Volkswagen Beetle.
As a child, Dillon spent countless hours playing with Legos, reveling in the design and assembly challenges and possibilities. As a Penn College student, he’s traded those miniature plastic bricks for components of renowned luxury vehicles.
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