Lauryn Stauffer

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.