After three years of career and technical education, Lauryn knew hands-on learning was the route for her. She toured Penn College and was instantly attracted to the robotics and automation program and the promise of a college degree. At times her plate was overflowing with responsibilities, but as graduation nears, she reflects on the countless opportunities that have prepared her for the road ahead.
I attended a vocational school for three years. My program has allowed me to expand this knowledge. I have been able to explore so many diverse topics in my field of choice ranging from learning how to program a robot and understanding pneumatics to programming PLC’s, understanding process control, learning mechanical skills, expanding troubleshooting skills, and so much more! This program has given me the opportunity to build on what I thought was such a smaller career path into something so much bigger!
My favorite class must be Robotics and Fluid Power since I was able to learn the fundamentals of pneumatics and hydraulics. I also had the opportunity to learn how to use the diverse robots we have available for my program; I learned how to program ABB and Fanuc robots. This allowed me to get a better look at why I chose such a different major when coming to college. Being able to program a robot that maneuvers and does complicated tasks shows where our world is heading. Being a part of that positive impact in our world is so exciting to me! This class helped me see that my true passion is robots. Going into my senior year, I will have the same opportunity to get exposure, but with Kuka robots.
When I saw this question, I immediately thought of Mr. Ken Kinley. I met him when I first visited in the summer of 2018. Throughout the entire admissions process, whenever I came to campus, he would always recognize me, greet me with a smile, and be so encouraging.
Coming into the first year, I was struggling. I was not sure if this was for me. Mr. Kinley had an open-door policy and was there when I needed any assistance. That gave me so much reassurance when I was entering this entire new chapter of my life. When spring of 2020 hit, he was supportive of his students and kept encouraging us. He even sent me a card in the mail saying that all my hard work was paying off and that in the fall we would learn all the exciting programs needed for the robots. Coming into my senior year, Mr. Kinley has never let my spirits down and has always been such a positive individual. I am entirely grateful that he is one of my professors.
These extracurricular activities have helped shape my personality into a well-rounded individual who will always try to accomplish so much more on my bucket list. I have learned to collaborate effectively with others, gained presentation skills, learned effective time management, practiced communicating effectively, and gained a network within the Penn College community. When I decided to get involved, I learned that I could grasp the entire college experience.
My dream job is to be an automation engineer. I would love to implement automation concepts into processes that were once done by hand. This would consist of programming PLC’s, visions systems, and robots. Then I would like to get a vocational education degree and teach in a vocational school setting to give back to students who want to learn hands-on and provide a technical aspect for the future.
When I first came to Penn College, I never would have expected to be where I am today. I never thought one place could change my life forever. I am entirely grateful for the experiences that have been given to me. I've had the opportunity to give tours to prospective students, help produce a virtual tour video for the college, speak to donors of the college, and create fun events for the student body. I could not agree more that Penn College has helped me achieve my professional goals.
The courses that are provided here at Penn College are unbelievably needed and relevant for my degree of choice. The professors want the students to be successful and provide guidance and support. The skills I have developed within my major will be so beneficial when going into the workforce after graduation in May of 2023.
"When I first came to Penn College, I never would have expected to be where I am today. I never thought one place could change my life forever. I am entirely grateful for the experiences that have been given to me."
Lauryn Stauffer
Automation Engineering Technology: Robotics & Automation
Lauryn loves Penn College so much that she visited her former career and technical education center, Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, over holiday break to let others know about the hands-on education opportunities.
With Lauryn as the tour guide, prospective students can get a glimpse of the Penn College experience without leaving home.
Lauryn completed a summer internship with Victaulic in Easton, PA, a global manufacturing facility where her grandfather once worked. Here are a few of the highlights.
My main responsibilities were to model and create efficient add-ins for the machinery and operators. I did projects such as designing a Keyence visions system and performing basic programming on the Fanuc robot controls.
My favorite project was being able to back up the robot programs at the robot cells across the manufacturing floor. I enjoyed this project since this allowed me to get more exposure with the robots and understanding the opportunities that robots allow us to do in industry.
Another project that I valued is putting together the Keyence vision system. I had to wire an electrical panel with a power source and the vision system. I was able to see how the input and outputs operate on the robot, which then correlated to the vision system program. This vision system would detect whether the face of the flange was good or bad, meaning if it were good there are no defects, and bad if there were defects on the valve.
This experience allowed me to be able to see that I have a true passion for automation and robotics. I was able to understand how robotics and automation are incorporated into industry and how my future has a significant impact within technology and everyday life. Being able to see how robots can maneuver and work to make tasks so much easier shows there is so much work to be done within industry. I look forward to helping make that happen with my future career.
Three female assistant deans lead the School of Engineering Technologies. Together, they direct and inspire students like Lauryn who are making names for themselves in typically male-dominated fields. This news story captures Lauryn's thoughts on these role models and her reflections on pursuing a career in electronics and automation.
From electrical and electronics to mechatronics and robotics, you'll learn the ins and outs of complex automated systems used in the world of manufacturing.
Choose from a host of interconnected, yet diverse majors ranging from automation engineering and computer engineering to electronics and robotics.