We love sharing stories about all of the great things our students and alumni are involved in! Check out our student and alumni spotlights below, or submit your own story for a chance to be featured in a PCE spotlight!

PCE Student & Alumni Spotlight Submission Form

"I was born and raised in Holland, Michigan, and I used to dream of becoming an architect. My dad, Bob Bonczyk, has been involved with FIRST for more than 20 years now, so it’s always been around my life. My mom, Michelle Bonczyk, a 14-year mentor, used to take me to FIRST events when I was little and I would see just how fun robotics was.  Naturally, when I got to high school, I joined Team 107 and fell in love with engineering and the idea of being an engineer.

After high school, I went to Grand Valley State University (GVSU) for Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering. I had developed a passion for mechanical engineering while on the team in high school, and GVSU was a great fit. Being that GVSU hosted a FIRST event (now the West Michigan District Event), I had a chance to see the university and its passion for FIRST.  GVSU has a great Co-op program, and I got work experience before I graduated through my internship at JR Automation. After graduation, I continued to work at JR Automation and shifted from an intern to a full-time mechanical engineer, which is really a dream job! Not only did I already know tons of people there because so many employees volunteer at FIRST events, but I get paid to play with robots all day – can you think of a better job?"

Read more of Nicki's story.

Aziz Gram Sarhan Jr., Class of 2022, always had a love for math and cars. It just seemed natural to study mechanical engineering. When it came time to find the right university, it was Grand Valley’s hands-on learning environment that brought Aziz all the way from London, England to pursue his degree. “What drew me to Grand Valley was the hands-on aspect of the engineering program,” said Aziz. “I need that tangible feedback for me to feel like I can grow in my field.”

While everything seemed to be fitting in place, Aziz shared it hasn’t always been easy. Especially when it came to physics. “When I first got here, one of the things I felt was a sense of confidence. I’m smart, so I thought I should be able to do well in physics.” said Aziz. “Immediately I hit a road block. I knew I was working hard, but I wasn’t seeing any results. It was just a bunch of failed tests.”

Aziz’s love for math stayed with him through his struggles. He practiced, persevered, and took the time to figure out a new way of learning. Soon Aziz went from needing a tutor, to being the tutor. He credits much of his improvement to the relationships he has built with his professors. “My favorite aspect about Grand Valley is the classroom size. It has allowed me to stop my professors in real time to ask questions. The professors really do want to help, and those relationships have definitely allowed me to grow,” he said.

Read more of Aziz's story.

School of Engineering alum, Stephen Wierenga, was recently recognized by the Allendale Rotary Club, receiving the Homegrown Hero Award for his contributions to the community. He serves as a member of the Allendale Chamber of Commerce board, was involved in the crucial efforts undertaken by 3DC19 to create personal protective equipment in response to COVID-19, and is the founder of Perception Engineering, an Allendale-based engineering firm focused on providing design assistance and high quality engineering solutions.

Stephen completed his degree in mechanical engineering at Grand Valley State University in 2012 and met his wife during his time as a student at GVSU. They liked living in Allendale so much that they decided to make it their permanent home. Upon graduation, Stephen worked for DeWys Manufacturing, where he had worked prior to his GVSU co-op placement at Oliver Healthcare Packaging. It was there that Stephen noticed a business need for reliable engineering contractors in order to help level-load the design work of company engineering departments. Stephen got into additive manufacturing and 3D printing in 2013 and decided to make contract work his career. DeWys Manufacturing was the first company he contracted with. As opportunities for business grew, Stephen reached out to friends in the Grand Rapids region and invited them to serve as subcontractors. The team worked out of Stephen’s basement. Stephen officially formed Perception Engineering in 2013 and hired his first employee in 2016. Now, their team of eight employees works out of the Allendale industrial complex. During this process, Stephen discovered his passion for building a business, developing people, and leading projects.

Read more of Stephen's story.

Larry Logsdon was the first Occupational Safety & Health Management student at Grand Valley State University, and was instrumental in development of the curriculum. Larry’s interest in Occupational Safety & Health began after the tragic death of his father in a work-related accident.  After reading the accident report, Larry wanted to know as much as he could about occupational safety.  While he began his career as a tool engineer for Herman Miller, he eventually became the company’s first Corporate Safety Manager due to his interest in the topic.  Looking to learn as much as he could in order to be successful in his role, Larry connected with two GVSU professors who had been considering developing a four-year health and safety program. That conversation led to a long-term partnership as the faculty invited Larry to help.  They formed an advisory committee of local professionals to investigate industry needs and obtain feedback on the proposed curriculum.  As soon as Occupational Safety & Health classes were available at GVSU, Larry enrolled. 

For those unfamiliar with Occupational Safety and Health, Larry likes to describe the field in terms of loss prevention.  “If I keep people safe, I save my company money in worker’s compensation and the potential for other unwanted liabilities.” In reflecting on his career, Larry feels more undergraduate students should enter the field of Occupational Safety and Health Management. “It has been a great occupation for me and I loved it,” he said.  Larry recommends current students consider OSH careers in both industry and government and feels loss prevention, industrial hygiene, and ergonomics are excellent pathways.  “Take all the science you can as an undergrad,” Larry advised for those entering the profession. 

Read more of Larry's story.

"My name is Sam Miglieri and I graduated from the GV OSH Program in 2019. Shortly after I realized a career in engineering wasn’t for me, I found myself in Professor Huizen’s office hearing about the program and the different career opportunities within the OSH degree. I thought he was full of it initially, but he was spot on. The courses prepared me to excel right out of the gate in both my internship at a meat manufacturing facility in South Holland, IL and in my current role in construction safety at an electrical contractor in Chicago. I chose a certain path, but my friends and former classmates in the same courses are just as successful in different roles all over the place, from chemical manufacturing plants to insurance companies.

In my current role, I am the Field Safety Manger where most of my work entails investigating and solving jobsite safety issues. This includes all things construction related, from inspecting a freshly dug trench to walking a roof with a foreman to determine the best fall protection system. You never know what you are going to get in construction safety. It’s fast-paced, ever changing, mentally stimulating, and definitely not for everyone. Early mornings, long drives, and outdoor conditions fill your days, but it’s all worth it seeing your recommendations come to life onsite.

I was nervous to make the major and ultimately career switch at the time from engineering to OSH, but honestly, it was the best decision I have ever made. The GV OSH program gave me the kickstart I needed to get my feet under me and start my professional career."

"While attending school at Grand Valley State University, I was originally pursuing a degree in the medical field. Over the course of three years, I changed my degree path four times. I reached a point where I felt like a medical career wasn't sparking my interest as much as another industry could. I just didn't know what that industry was yet! I found out about the safety industry and was surprised that it was something I didn't think of before. Growing up, I was always the "safety nerd" who made sure my friends would look both ways before crossing the street, volunteered as a "safety" in elementary school to help assist students on and off the bus, and even dressed up as a "Super Safety" for Halloween in 4th grade. Even in college I was a crossing guard on campus! So reflecting on my life, I realized safety had always been a passion of mine and I just didn't even know it. The same day I had this realization was the same day I applied for GVSU's Occupational Safety and Health Management program. During my final year in the program, I interned with Founders Brewing Co. which led to a full time position as their EHS Coordinator upon graduation." 

"The thing I love most about my job is being able to use problem solving skills and creativity to find solutions to keep others safe. I really enjoy being able to work with the employees who are on the floor since they're the ones performing the hazardous tasks. That's why I think it's important to work with them, keep them involved in the incident prevention process, and listen to their ideas and concerns to create and implement effective and safe solutions. They usually have solutions and ideas of their own that they've thought of while doing the job, so I really value their input. If you listen to what they have to say, you can come up with a solution that is safe and is something the user will actually want to do. Doing this builds trust to the point where the employees feel comfortable voicing other safety concerns that they've had. This creates an opportunity to solve a problem that you may not have ever known about if that employee had not communicated it. I'd say that's what I'm most proud of - having that trust built with the employees."

Read more of Kasey's story.