How Embry-Riddle Alumna Diana Camping Became a Systems Engineer

Pivoting into Systems Engineering

Diana Camping (’24) embraces challenges and loves learning but wanted a graduate education that didn’t require uprooting her life — enter Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Worldwide Campus.

Diana is married to a U.S. Army veteran, a mother of three children and a “fur mom” to several pets. She loves spending quality time with her family and doing outdoor activities. When her mother was battling cancer several years ago, Diana also shouldered a caretaker role.

“I was taking care of my mother, who had stage 4 colon cancer, and ... working for Amazon at the time,” Diana explained. “When she passed away, I found myself lost and with plenty of time on my hands.”

She redirected her free time toward exploring graduate degrees that aligned with her career interests. Diana was familiar with Embry-Riddle through her husband’s military and engineering backgrounds, and she ultimately decided to enroll in the M.S. in Systems Engineering.

It Takes a Village

Diana’s higher education pursuits had to fit in with and complement her lifestyle, and Embry-Riddle Worldwide met those needs.

“After my workday is finished, I love to spend time with my family, my children and my spouse,” she said. “Embry-Riddle’s online flexibility was extremely convenient for my lifestyle, family time and work duties.”

Embry-Riddle Worldwide’s programs are designed to help students maximize their academic potential. Solution-oriented and career-driven, Diana was the perfect candidate for this learning approach.

“I love challenges ... and being a military spouse taught me that no challenge is too big if you put your mind to it,” she said. “I know that to be successful, you have to put the effort and time into whatever it is you are reaching for.”

Diana discovered that group projects were one of the most rewarding aspects of her program because they encouraged her to grow as a student, collaborator and future systems engineer. She balanced school with responsibilities at work and home while grieving a loss, so she was no stranger to the role that support played in group dynamics.

“There were instances where other students on my team would be going through personal issues, so I was able to pick up their parts,” she said. “They would in turn take on a heavier workload [later on] ... which came in handy for me as work tends to get hectic with long hours during certain peak times.”

Diana’s mindset throughout the program helped her grow further as a person and advance meaningfully in her career.

A Pipeline to Career Growth

Diana transitioned into a position at Lockheed Martin midway through her program, and her burgeoning skill set empowered her to put her education into practice quickly. She was recognized for making meaningful impacts on many projects.

“I love to show visual charts [like pivots and flow charts] in my presentations ... and I apply statistical terminology and methods to show quantifiable data,” she said. “I also conducted several process improvements and leadership projects where I applied systems engineering methodologies that I learned while in the program.”

After completing the program, Diana was ready for a new opportunity to continue applying her systems engineering expertise.

“I was able to receive a promotion from my employer,” she said.

Diana has now been with Lockheed Martin for three years and has been a systems engineer for two of those.

One Step at a Time

Diana’s educational and career goals do not stop here. She is currently considering pursuing additional certifications or a Ph.D. She also aspires to work with NASA, which Lockheed Martin is connected to through the Orion Spacecraft program.

Her success did not arrive at all at once. Discipline, grit and a commitment to what is truly important to her have brought Diana to this point. She often recalls a piece of advice her mom gave her during difficult periods.

“Be like an ant, always working little by little,” she said. “The steps might be small right now, but as time passes, when you look back, you will have something to be proud of because it was built from the ground up. Don’t stop, don’t give up!”