Design Pathway
This article goes over the experiences gained in Design and gives some advice to new students entering the pathway.
Joel Massara:
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I took "design" in the 2019-2020 school year. During this time, I took 3 courses while working part-time. The time I spent in design definitely changed my mindset on the kind of industry I wanted to enter. While I was in design, I was presented with the opportunity to talk and meet with people in my industry of interest. These opportunities allowed me to learn more about career fields that were available and find the fields that got my attention. "Design" gives three different ways and opportunities to learn about any field of engineering. Paying attention in class made me decide to switch from Electrical and Computer Engineering to Computer Science. The times I spent on rotations showed me the work differences in the fields I was stuck between, and capstone gave me the opportunity of working with real engineers and experiencing a work environment in the field of engineering. My advice for any student taking design is to make the most of it. Try your best to take advantage of the resources around you, and reach out and talk to professionals in your field of interest. If you only take one thing away from design, make sure that you find either a subject that interests you or determines the subjects that don't interest you.
John Long:
Although engineering did not turn out to be my passion, Mr. Hertenstein worked to make the Design pathway engaging for me. I was appointed with Dr. Mike Rayo at the Cognitive Systems Engineering Laboratory at Ohio State University where I was able to develop a passion for education. There I worked on designing a curriculum about Data Analytics. I am very grateful that Mr. Hertenstein was able to give me this opportunity. Alongside capstone projects, we also frequently attended rotations in the first semester. These rotations ranged from visiting a Honda manufacturing center in Ohio to talking with recruiters at an engineering job expo held at OSU. This capstone will put you out of your comfort zone and engage you not only with engineering but also with developing career skills and preparing for college. I would highly recommend the Design pathway as there is a lot of flexibility to work on what you are passionate about. If you are not sure which pathway to choose, go with Design. Mr. Herteinstein personally interacts with students to help find the best capstones for them and meets on a weekly basis to ensure the wellbeing of his students.
Lauren Coleman
I was a part of the Design Early College Learning Experience during my Junior (2019-2020) year. Design is split into two parts: the first semester you take an engineering design and principles class and have job rotations exploring various fields in computer science and engineering. In the second part of the year, you are paired with a mentor and complete a capstone project. You get hands-on experience through class projects and learn skills from basic Fabrication (using a Bridgeport Drill Press, Shopbot CNC, and Laser Cutter) to soldering and breadboarding.
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In my capstone project, my mentor allowed me to dive deeply into the challenging topic, and it was an amazing opportunity to troubleshoot problems on my own. This was one of the most enriching experiences I’ve had to date, and it definitely sparked my interest in nuclear science and engineering. From career exploration to professional development opportunities Design opens your eyes to so many new things.
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For students coming into the Design pathway, my biggest piece of advice would be to ask as many questions as possible. Whether it be in the rotations, in class, or with your capstone mentor, the more questions you ask the more knowledge you'll gain and as a result have a better experience. The people in the pathway are there to help you learn as much as possible, so make sure to use their knowledge and expertise to help you explore what you want to do.
Sophia Rake
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I’m currently (2020-2021) taking the design pathway. I’m currently in the first semester of it so I can’t say anything to Capstone outside what I’ve been told, but I can speak to the first semester. The first semester of Design is broken into three parts, Advanced Mechatronics, Advisory, and Rotations. Advanced Mechatronics is Mechatronics 2.0, in a lot of ways very similar but it's expanded on and more complex. There's also no remediation, but it’s not difficult to the point that you’ll really need it. Advisory is also pretty similar, it’s mostly check-ins and the occasional conversation about the future, careers, and colleges.
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The newest part is rotations, in which speakers come in and talk about their careers in STEM fields. These are important because some of them may also be capstone partners. You start picking your Capstone about mid-November through a list Mr. Herenstien (Design teacher) has all the possible Capstone projects.
