Eagle Shares How Embry-Riddle Impacted His Career

Collin Anderson graduated from Embry-Riddle in 2018 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He currently works as an Aerospace Engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation as a commercial space transportation safety inspector. Collin shares his experience with Embry-Riddle and how it has helped with his career.

How has being an Embry-Riddle graduate impacted you since graduation?

Everyone knows the aerospace industry is a small one. Now narrow it down further to just the space industry. I constantly find myself interacting with Embry-Riddle alumni. Of those, most of them are aerospace engineering majors who understand the rigor of Riddle's program. Saying you have an Aerospace Engineering degree from Embry-Riddle holds a good amount of weight in this industry.

What was your favorite Embry-Riddle experience?

My favorite Embry-Riddle experience was the fall of my freshman year when we had Wings N' Waves. There is nothing cooler than the Thunderbirds performing over your head while you're wading chest deep in the Atlantic Ocean.

How did Embry-Riddle prepare you for your future? 

Pursuing an aerospace engineering degree from arguably the school with the toughest curriculum in the country really helped with my time management skills. In high school, I never had to work hard to succeed, and freshman year broke that bad habit rather quickly. Not only that, but I still use lessons I learned in technical report writing to this day.

What class influenced you the most and why?

While I don't use orbital mechanics routinely for my job, space mechanics with Dr. Seo was truly the class where it felt like I was doing something directly pertaining to my major. The final project was to design and plot our own GPS constellation in Matlab while simultaneously calculating for gravitational perturbations. As a second semester sophomore, this class was refreshing after all of the general education requirements.

Did you participate in any clubs, and what did you enjoy most about it?

I was a part of the Avion Newspaper for about three years. It allowed me to do things no other school, or frankly other club, could offer. I was able to interview the Thunderbirds right next to their F-16s when they arrived in Daytona; I flew on board NASA's SOFIA aircraft for the Triton Occultation in 2017; and as almost a foreshadowing moment, I would routinely set up pad cameras for SpaceX and ULA launches at Cape Canaveral.

What is your best advice for future students?

My advice to students, both current and future, is that while GPA is important, don't let it be your sole focus while in school. Try a new activity. Meet new people. Don't forget your hobbies and what brings you joy. College is less about what to learn and more about how to learn.