My Experience at Northrop Grumman as a Freshman

Posted on September 10, 2020 by #ERAUPrescott

by Devon Kisfalvi

*A picture of me at Willow Lake near the Embry-Riddle Campus*.

My name is Devon Kisfalvi and I’m a part of the class of 2023. My major is Electrical Engineering with a minor in Systems Engineering. My amazing internship experience started January of 2020 before the start of the Spring 2020 semester. This internship wouldn’t have been possible without Embry-Riddle. I had just finished my first semester of freshman year, and became a member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Club on campus. Through them I was able to get a membership with IEEE, learn about the 2020 IEEE Rising Stars Conference, and was able to attend. There I saw Northrop Grumman had set up a table. I went over and introduced myself, and after talking with them they asked for a resume. One of the managers from the Gilbert, AZ office who was at the conference offered me a summer internship.

The internship started May 2020 and was amazing! Even though coronavirus affected most of the in-person events being held, Northrop Grumman was able to still offer multiple opportunities for the interns to meet people and learn more about the company. During my internship I was working with the avionics team on two different projects. The first was working with the internal research and development team on looking for new parts to improve one of the critical systems of a satellite project. This research involved replacing one of the components that would have to be specifically constructed to meet the requirements set by Northrop Grumman and NASA. I communicated with a handful of companies that manufacture those components to ensure that they would meet Northrop Grumman’s and NASA’s requirements.

The second task I worked on with my mentor was collecting documentation for the Landsat 9 (L9) team on the Integrated Electronics Module (IEM) focusing on End Item Data Package (EIDP), which is the final stage of after environmental testing. The documents that needed to be included were parts lists, assembly drawings, among other reports.

*Construction of the Landsat 9 at Northrop Grumman.*

Even though I was just a freshman, the relevant coursework I have taken so far helped me out a lot, like Intro to Engineering (EGR 101), Digital Circuit (CEC 220), and Digital Circuit Design (CEC 222). EGR 101 has helped develop my teamwork skills to effectively communicate and work with teams of any size. CEC 220 helped me understand the coding of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), logic of electrical circuits, and how logic circuits connect to create complex devices. CEC 222 helped me understand the basic components of electrical circuits and how they worked. All these classes helped me with my internship.

*The Landsat 9 that I worked on at Northrop Grumman.*

Even though you might only be a freshman there is still a possibility for you to be able to do an internship with a company. One thing that employers look for is how you act and how you present yourself. One key aspect is communication, both verbal and written. Anyone can come up with amazing ideas, but you need to be able to communicate them. You also will most likely be working with teams of people and you need to be able to communicate with your team to be successful. You also have to remember how you present yourself to employers. You must be professional, but you also must be yourself. Go into any possible situation with a smile and make sure to introduce yourself. Start a conversation with them. For example, you could ask a question about the company or something specific that interests you. This shows that you are interested in their company, and leads them to asking you questions about yourself. Embry-Riddle has helped me out so much and as you stay open and professional, anything is possible.

Move In Day = The First Step

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Megan

And just like that it is August, school starts in a little over a week, and freshman move in tomorrow! I remember move in day last year. Getting up before sunrise, flying down to Prescott, enduring a nerve wracking car ride from Phoenix, and being completely surprised when I was welcomed to campus with open arms from admissions, housing, and my suite-mates. This is an exciting time of year with so much change ahead and many firsts. Your first time moving away from home, your first time being responsible for yourself, and your first time living with roommates (that are not related to you). All these first can be overwhelming, exhilarating, and growing. I am pleased to say that your first, first starts tomorrow. Tomorrow is the beginning of a new adventure and I am so happy for you all.

With your adventure starting and your first, first in less than twenty-four hours I have some advice being a returning student who is excited for my second year of new experiences.

Everyone is nervous

We all start out knowing pretty much no one. Everyone is looking for someone to eat dinner with, hang out with, and walk to the Activity Center with. So step out of your comfort zone and start a conversation with a stranger, who knows that person might end up being your best friends

Breathe

Between all the people around, the excitement, and your long to do list, move in day can be stressful. However, enjoy the day. Spend time with your family before they leave. Get things that you know you will need like shampoo and conditioner, and really set up your life. Because once orientation starts you will be hitting the ground running with activities and classes soon to follow

Go to the orientation events

Some orientation events are mandatory while some are optional, but seriously go. One, it gets you out of your room, and two, you start talking to your classmates and get to know the campus. We are all a family here at Riddle and the people you meet at orientation you will see around campus and it’s fun to see a friendly face on the first day of class. And most of all they are funny bonding experiences!

If you have any questions ask your RA

Your RA (resident assistant) is here to help you. This year I will be an RA in Mingus (Hall 3 Floor 3, come say hi!) and I, as well as the other RAs on campus, truly want to be able to help the incoming students with any questions they might have. Whether that is “where is the dining hall,” “can I get my bed lowered,” or “am I allowed to have this.” It is much better to ask questions now then be confused for the time to come. There are no stupid questions!

Enjoy the day!

This one relates to point 2. You only have one freshman move in. So enjoy the little things. Enjoy the people jumping up to help you move your boxes up the stairs, how your parents want to make your room all nice, and how there is a buzz of excitement in the air. Move in day is like no other, and it is an experience you will remember forever.

I am very excited for you all to have your first, first as a college freshman. This year is going to be a wild ride, so hold on tight, run full steam ahead, and embrace everything that comes at you!

Why a School That is 1,362 Miles Away from Home?

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Megan

Yay college application session! This time of year can be extremely stressful and exciting for high school seniors. Pressure from parents, teachers, classmates, and yourself can be overwhelming. But the thought of going to college and being on your own is exhilarating. I remember going through this just one year ago, and I can tell you it will all work out. I have been asked numerous times why I chose ERAU which is 1,362.8 miles away from home. I want to share with you all (prospective students) why I chose ERAU for the next four years of my life…

When children are asked what they want to be when they grow up, some will answer “princess,” others say “doctor.” My dream was to be a professional tree climber, a pilot, or a spy. Although my career aspirations have matured, when I was twelve years old, I realized that my dream could become a profession.

At twelve, I had the opportunity to accompany my dad to Shanghai on a business trip. While my father worked, I would find ways to entertain myself. The best source of entertainment I found was reading the Shanghai Daily newspaper. Reading the newspaper became part of my daily routine, and throughout my three weeks in China, I learned about disappearances, governmental struggles, and people’s thoughts about the United States. Every day I opened the newspaper and searched for articles about international events and turmoil that was brewing, hoping that someone had found a solution for the issues I had read about the day before. Each day, however, a new problem would surface with no resolution to the ones from the day before. The constant, unresolved problems aggravated me and made me realize I wanted to solve international problems and make the turmoil go away. That discovery led me to research the US Department of State, and I learned about foreign diplomats and diplomatic security. At the age of twelve I decided this was the career for me. Within the global security realm, I believe that Embry-Riddle will give me a global perspective and prepare me for the reality of the international world.

A foreign diplomat might not be called a spy, but to me, the work that the Department of State does is what I imagined for a career when I was growing up. Although my dreams of being a professional tree climber have passed, I know that with my education from ERAU, this little girl can achieve her dream of becoming a spy.

Now that you understand why I chose ERAU I want to leave you all with this: Do not be afraid of being rejected for a university or living up to the standards of others. Apply to the schools that you are interested in because in the end you are the one who will be going to school there and you will be the one who is living away from home for the next four years of your life. Go into college applications with an open mind, and I am sure you will find the school that is meant for you!

Faculty are Awesome but Read the Syllabus!

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Carlos

Hello everyone. I hope all of you guys are having an awesome fall semester. I can’t believe how quick this semester is going by. It’s like when you are so tired and you fall asleep at 10 pm and then suddenly it is 8 am already in the morning.

This fall semester has been really challenging for me, but yet it’s been really fun. I have said that I was a little scared when I started my classes. I began learning English 1 year and 8 months ago and even though the ERLI Program (English course) helped me to improve my English I feel that I have still a lot of things to learn. I would like to share my experience as an international Freshman in this first 2 months I’ve been in classes.

I clearly remember the first day I attended my morning class in math (MA120). Everyone was standing outside the classroom waiting for the time to get in. I felt an awkward atmosphere; nobody talking because nobody knew anybody. It was almost a complete silence. Professor John Jenkins got there before any other professor. As soon as he opened the door everyone started walking toward the classroom. Then, we took a look around to see who else was placed in the same class.

Professor Jenkins greeted us with a “Good morning everyone!!!This is going to be an awesome semester,” yet nobody talked. As soon as the class started, he handed us a syllabus with a follow explanation about what was the purpose of the class, what he was expecting from us, how he was going to grade us, etc. He gave us a specific and very detailed working plan for the fall semester. Also, the other three professors I have right now did the same thing the first day of classes. It was awesome.

The first month was the most challenging for me. Even though every professor went over the syllabus the first day, it is still hard to get use to the lifestyle of a college student. I did not read the syllabus closely and I truly regretted it. If I had read it when I was supposed to, it would have saved me two weeks of struggles. Finally, after those two long unnecessary weeks of troubles (It was all my fault) I made everything fall into place; material for classes, homework, schedules, time to rest, social life, and training.

For all of those who attended the “Open House” and have decided already to come to Embry-Riddle next spring or next fall, I want to tell you “Please, check the syllabus as soon as the professors post them on canvas (online class system) before the classes start.” This will save you a lot of time and will keep you out of many troubles.

Certainly, I knew long before college started that it wasn’t going to be easy. This not because of the classes but because English is not my first language. All classes in Embry-Riddle have a high degree vocabulary (I could not expect less) which is great, but it was a big challenge to adapt the daily base-English to a sophisticated-English used in every single class. The hardest class was Basics of Aeronautics. It is funny, before I came to Embry-Riddle, the biggest thing I’ve ever driven was a Geo Metro three cylinder, and now I have a class where basically it is all about things that fly and they are bigger than a three cylinder car! Also, what makes it harder is that there are some parts of airplanes, names, terminology that do not even have a translation to Spanish. You can imagine how hard it was for me try to relate and understand the terminology when the closest I have ever been to a real airplane was when I bought a toy plane a long time ago.

The same thing happened in Basics of Management. There is terminology that does not even exist in Spanish and some others where the translation is not even close. I was so frustrated. I thought, “Oh my god, that’s too difficult,” but then I remembered, “What are you doing? You are not here alone!” so I started seeking help.

It didn’t take a lot of time; roommates, friends and of course, professors and staff were more than happy to help me get through. Now, after almost two months, I understand almost any word my professors say and if I don’t understand a term they always encourage me to ask. One of them said to our class “The dumbest question is the one not asked.”

I am so glad that I chose this college out of all my options. Everybody on campus is willing to help plus they love it. Professors own already all my respect as excellent professors as well as great people. The only thing I can say about my professors is that they are more than qualified to teach. It is really amazing how professors don’t need a book to teach; they just stand up in front of the class and spit out whichever is the topic. I noticed since the first week in class that professors at Embry-Riddle are not there just because they have the knowledge to teach, they are there because they were actually doing what they teach. In class when William O’Hara (my professor of Basics of Aeronautics) is talking about airplanes, I get a feeling that he can disarm an airplane and put it back together while eating a donut and drinking coffee in his free time. Simply amazing!

Embry-Riddle has been my best decision so far.

Thanks for the time you took to read this blog, I appreciate it.

The Suite Life! On-campus Housing at ERAU

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Megan

Wow, it is October! It is crazy to think I have been at this amazing school for two months. Coming to college there has been a lot to adjust to like being on my own, rigorous schoolwork, and having not only one roommate but five. At Embry-Riddle traditional freshman are required to live on campus, and they are most commonly housed in the Mingus Mountain Complex. The rooms are set up as suites, which include three, two person bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a lounge with a mini kitchen. Like most freshman I am in Mingus.

Before school started my roommate and I started talking and decided we wanted to room together, this was the best decision for me. We get along great, we love Harry Potter, chocolate, and life. My four suite mates on the other hand, were luck of the draw. On move in day, I was terrified to meet my suite-mates in person. Questions were running through my head; will they like me? Are we going to get along? And how is suite life going to work? I am happy to report that I love my suite.

These five people have turned into part of my family on campus. They are always there to have dinner, go to the library, watch movies, or talk. Since we have become so close, it is inevitable that there are disagreements. Living with new people and spending a lot of time with them can be a rough adjustment. There are people that are closer than others and some that irritate you, but you always know they have your back. The relationships are very much like that of siblings. Your suite, or at least mine, will bicker and fight, then ten minutes later be on the floor laughing together.

Even though it is not all smiles and laughter, I would not change my experience on campus for anything. Being 5 minutes from class, dinner, or the library is something that is very nice and makes living on campus a major plus. In addition, living with other freshman in your suite and hall makes it easy to make friends on campus.

I know before school started I had questions about chores, cleaning and such. Yes, students are responsible for cleaning their bathrooms, and no it is not as bad as it seems. What my suite has done is create a cleaning schedule and everyone has a chore for the week, and we rotate through the system. And so far our system has been going smoothly.

Don’t be afraid of living on campus or in a suite. It is part of the freshman experience. Living with five other people will push you, and challenge you, but in the end will make you a better person. They will show the good the bad and the ugly of having roommates but the dynamics of the suite are something you will remember forever. Trust me I have only been living on campus for eight weeks and I have hundreds of stories about my suite-mates and hall mates.

Follow Me Through my Freshman Year!

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Megan

Hi everyone! My name is Megan and I am a freshman here at the lovely Prescott, AZ Campus ERAU Home of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I am originally from Renton,
Washington, which is about twenty minutes outside of Seattle, and very different from Ari My home in WA zona.
Coming from a rainy part of the US, the sun took me by surprise, but I can honestly say that I have fallen in love with Prescott, the sun included.

During my time at ERAU I will be studying Global Security and Intelligence and plan on double majoring in Global Business as well. I am studying GSIS because I want to make a difference in people’s lives, and help them feel safe and secure no matter where they come from. This is something I have known since I was little, and finding ERAU has given me a path way achieve my dream. After college my top goal is to work for the Department of State as a U.S. Diplomat.

Outside of the classroom life is pretty busy. An organization I have been Sorority fun very involved in already is Chi Alpha. This group goes on adventures during the weekend and has helped me build a community in my short time being on campus.
Recently I have also had the privilege of being offered a bid from Alpha Xi Delta, and will soon be a new member of this wonderful sorority! Because of the recent club fair I am becoming involved with the Mountain Club, and Engineers without Boarders. There are truly hundreds of clubs to join and things to get involved in. Which makes life here even more fun. Even though I am new to campus and Prescott I already feel as if I have a strong community surrounding me and I will be able to achieve my goals.
Since college New Friends! is a time for new opportunities, stress, and an enormous amount of fun I invite you to follow me through my freshman year. We can go through the challenges and triumphs together, so that if you are considering ERAU or another university you will have an idea what the life is truly like as a freshman.

The Tales of a First Year Student

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Colton

If you are anything like me, the anticipation of going into college has you asking a lot of questions. “What will it be like to be on my own?” “Am I going to make close friends?” “Will I have any free time at all?”

I could sit here and try my best to write down my experiences from my Freshman year, but that sounds pretty boring. So instead I made this video! Check it out to see my Freshman experiences and tips!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqPBTQp_K7w

As you can see, I had an absolute blast my first year in college. I can’t wait to see what adventures and opportunities I take part in in Fall 2015!

Embry’s Biggest Surprise — The Tight-Knit Community

Posted on November 25, 2014 by Colton

Ever since I was a kid, I had a passion for anything aviation. My aunt was in the Navy and my grandpa was a private pilot with a V-Tail Bonanza. I loved to be surrounded by people who shared the same passion as I had. When coming to Embry-Riddle, I knew I would be surrounded by a community of students and faculty who also loved aviation (since it is an aeronautical university), but I had no idea how tight-knit that community would be. Embry-Riddle is just a large family, with all its members having one common passion and drive: aviation. Not only is everyone pursuing a career in a similar field, but many also share the same extracurricular interests. By the third day of orientation, my suitemates and I built an airplane out of a broken printer we found in the dumpster (no we weren’t dumpster diving) and proceeded to launch it off our third story balcony.

Silly as it seems, the building and launching of the ‘printer plane’ started the formation of a strong bond between my suitemates and I, and made life long memories before school had even started! And the adventures aren’t limited to gliders created from old electronics; within two weeks I had built friendships with several other guys who shared my love for remote control aircraft. Since then, we have built combat airplanes, built and flown multirotors such as hexacopters and tricopters, have had plenty of crashes, and have made tons of memories.

It’s that sense of family that surprised me most about Embry-Riddle, and I think it’s a unique community you won’t find at any other university

If you’re interested in seeing the “Printer Pelican 1”, you can watch the video I made at this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA1GviCfwlw

Embry Outreach at White River Apache Reservation

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Colton

20141030_164830

Something Embry-Riddle is very good at (one of the many things) is community outreach. This year I had the honor to take part in one the ERAU’s outreach programs, in conjunction with Chi Alpha (a program which I am also highly involved in), Innovation Club (also highly involved in), Rocketry Club, and ERAU Admissions. The event was created for outreach and promotion for Embry-Riddle and the pursuit for higher education in general.

Me and about 14 other people from Chi Alpha, a club on campus that revolves around making life long memories through crazy adventures and pursuing our Creator (check it out here >> http://riddlexa.org/ ), trekked off in two vans to White River Apache reservation. Our adventure would take part over two days. The first night we went to their last high school football game and put on a halftime show. It started with Freshman Lee Morris launching off a high-altitude weather balloon, soaring high into the night sky with flashing LED’s before disappearing forever. Secondly, we launched a scratch-built 5-foot tall rocket that we had built using the Student Innovation Center (Innovation club) and some expertise from the Rocketry Club. It featured a cardboard fuselage, 3d-printed fins and nose cone, and a custom motor to send it to 700 feet. It was quite spectacular, and the crowd loved it.

The next morning, we headed off to the local High school, Middle school, and Elementary school. All day, we taught classes on aviation, college, and pursuing a higher education. We were able to inspire kids to high school, to strive for their dreams and work hard to achieve them.

Watch the story unfold here…

This event was definitely one of the most memorable parts of my freshman year so far. It definitely makes me thankful for what I have been blessed with, and gives me a hunger to help those around me pursue their dreams as I am pursuing mine.