Zak Smith

Student
Welding

He came to Penn College after a few semesters at a community college and taking several years off to solidify his career plans. And he hasn't looked back since. Always a leader among peers, Zak has embraced the full-college experience and seized every opportunity to hone his leadership skills. Today he's a senior resident assistant, College Relations assistant, welding instructor at the Dr. Welch Workshop, and member of the student chapter of the American Welding Society.

TAKING THE LEAD: Q&A with Zak

HOW IS PENN COLLEGE HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS?

Penn College offers courses with amazing professors and has state-of-the-art equipment, some of which you can’t find anywhere else, like electron beam welding.

IF A FRIEND WERE CONSIDERING PENN COLLEGE, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?

I would tell them about the many amazing opportunities at Penn College. One of the best things about Penn College is the fact that we have hands-on learning.

WHY PENN COLLEGE?

I selected Penn College because they have the best welding program in the state, if not the country. I was also drawn here thanks to the electron beam welding, which if I’m not mistaken, we are the only school in the country with one.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE PROFESSOR AND WHY?

To put one professor over another is really hard to do when you have had so many amazing people helping to mold, shape, and guide you.

Ryan Good helped to challenge me to think more about why and how things work, and ultimately gave me the push I needed to take the next step and sign up for the four-year welding and engineering program by encouraging me every step of the way.
Craig Miller challenged my way of thinking through his critical thinking assignments, opening my thought process to more than just what’s being asked and that sometimes you have to formulate your own opinion in order to answer a question.
David Stabley has shown me another form of expression through art with ceramics.
Ty Rhinehart encouraged my critical thinking with problem solving and how to approach situations as they present themselves in shop environments and in life.
Mike Allen inspires me through his leadership and dedication to his staff and students.

HOW DOES THE WORLD OF WELDING INSPIRE YOU?

Welding always keeps you on your toes. Just when you think you have learned the majority of a subject, something comes along and changes the game. When thinking of welding, most people have heard of Mig, Tig, and Stick (Arc) welding processes, but there are more than just these three. There is electron beam welding, laser welding, plasma cutting and welding, and so much more.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE?

Over the summer I had the opportunity to move out to Michigan and work for Fronius, where I was an Application Engineer Intern. I was able to get a look at one or two new never before seen equipment and was able to test them out. I learned a lot about the Fronius welding equipment, its capabilities, and worked with customers. I really enjoyed going out on site visits, which during one of our visits I assisted in a product demo where we ended up selling two brand new units to the company we were visiting. A single package was worth around $24,000 so this was a huge deal! I also worked on a special project testing out and comparing a new cooler unit with the current model. The data I collected will be used to help sell this product and show the differences and advancements of the unit.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FIRST VISIT TO THE DR. WELCH WORKSHOP?

I remember hearing about a workshop on campus where you could go and work on personal projects during the semester. When I first walked into the Dr. Welch Workshop, I was amazed with all they had to offer and how friendly everyone was. I enjoyed the visit so much. I was almost always there whenever the space was open.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE PROJECT THAT TOOK SHAPE IN THE DR. WELCH WORKSHOP?

One of my most memorable projects would be collaborating with my friend and fellow Makerspace volunteer, Kyle Carter, on a longboard for Makerspace assistant Roberta Shwenk’s daughter Ziva. Kyle started this project by assembling the base of the board with several different types of wood. He used a CNC to cut out the shape of the longboard and then sanded it smooth. After the board was sanded, I was tasked with spray painting the bottom of the board. We transformed the makerspace welding lab into a spray-painting studio. We asked Ziva what she wanted on the board and she said she wanted Saturn. It took a couple test runs, but I was able to paint a really cool space scene with Saturn as the focal point. We finished the board by adding a glow-in-the-dark sand-like substance with an adhesive spray to the top of the board to replace grip tape so you could see the different types of wood used.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

I enjoy being with friends, going on hikes, roller blading and longboarding, rock climbing, creating welding sculptures, spray painting, and exploring new places.

Student Experience:

"Thank you to those who invested in our makerspace. This space not only lets me express my creativity, but also allows me to learn new skills and make some life-long friends."