“I graduated from GNA in 2009, was class president, played some sports, raised some heck, and gave my mom some sleepless nights worrying about where I was or what I was doing. I worked part-time jobs, had some side gigs, and continued to work throughout my college days. I enjoyed turning wrenches, trips to the junkyard, and four-wheeling the trails of NEPA.
I started my college career in Lebanon, PA, at Saint Vincent College where I wanted to study mechanical engineering. Initially, I played football and quit, got subpar grades, found a love for whiskey, and wasn’t giving it my best. Long story short, I left Saint Vincent, came home to Wilkes, and still didn’t get my act together. My first year of college was a bust, and a costly one at that. I left Wilkes after that spring semester, unable to afford it due to my grades, and enrolled at LCCC. My parents fronted the funds I needed to enroll, and I am forever grateful. A lot of people would think that LCCC was a “downgrade” but it was quite the contrary: the professors and class sizes gave me a great opportunity to connect, seek help, and grasp new information, and the best part was that all of my credits from LCCC were accepted by PSU, where I later transferred.
I attended PSU Wilkes-Barre and later PSU Harrisburg, where I graduated in 2015 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and successfully passed my Fundamentals of Engineering exam. In my final years of college, I completed multiple internships, held multiple jobs, and upon graduating, I had nine job offers to choose from.
I really want to highlight that when I interviewed with companies, they didn’t know anything about my earlier hiccups. They didn’t care about what I did, but rather, what I was doing. I worked hard, had great references from every job and internship, and I expressed interest in my field through the internships I held.
My professional career began in Rangeley, Maine, at the Upper Dam Rehabilitation Project where I had the great opportunity to finish the final two years of the five-year project. This is where I had to truly immerse myself with the professionals around me, and I don’t just mean my supervisors, but more so the men and women building the work. I arrived on site as green as they come: shirt tucked in, all cleaned up, and chalk full of book knowledge!
That project was the best learning experience I could have ever asked for after leaving college. I was miles from home in the middle of nowhere, drowning in self-doubt, swore I was going to get fired every day, and was initially not exactly a favorite of the craft personnel. I was the new guy, the “this is how it is written in the textbook” guy, trying to work with people who were very well-versed in their craft. I initially tried to tell people what we needed to do, and this didn’t work. I got more aggressive, tried to be more assertive, and that didn’t work. Then, I realized I just had to talk with them and LISTEN! When I grasped this, I began involving more and more people in discussions and planning, which contributed to the successful completion of the project and two seasons of no recordable incidents.Since that project in Maine, I have had the great experience of taking on more challenges in Ohio, Texas, Tennessee, California, Colorado, Kentucky, and some blips in between. I lead others by listening to others. Trial by fire. Learning from mistakes.
Here’s what I want kids to know today: it is a marathon, not a sprint. Along this journey, I’ve challenged my personal beliefs and embraced new thoughts. It is ok to shake the ideologies we were raised on while still enjoying our small town roots. Take time to enjoy your accomplishments and celebrate the accomplishments of those you are surrounded by. Ask questions and don’t assume! Lastly, as a great friend of mine once taught me, “A short pencil is better than a long memory.”
I didn’t know that my current career existed, and I was afraid of traveling and figuring out life away from home. I want others to know that yes, life choices can be scary and chaotic, but pushing through those initial feelings is extremely rewarding.”
Stanley Hughes, 2009
Project Engineer, Project Manager, Quality Control Manager
