Student Spotlight: Aiden Knapp

Aiden Knapp is preparing for the chance of a lifetime. One week from today he will begin a paid internship at Micron Technology in Manassas, Virginia. "I'm going to be a technician who troubleshoots equipment. I want to become more engaged in the field I'm pursuing. I see it as a great learning opportunity."

He'll be starting his internship less than a year after graduating from Marcellus High School. Knapp grew up thinking he wanted to pursue a health-related career. His father is Executive Director of Marcellus Ambulance Volunteer Emergency Services, and his oldest brother is in medical school. But when he decided to build his own computer two years ago, everything changed. "The experience grabbed me and made me realize in today's world there are so many electrical components that are constantly changing. I saw future potential in electrical devices, robotics, AI (Artificial Intelligence), things like that that can be very revolutionary."

That brought Knapp to Onondaga Community College and its Electrical Technology degree program. "I really like it here. The classes are so small you can really connect with your professors. It's really important when it comes to learning the material."

Earlier this semester he was inducted into OCC's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa. And next week he'll begin his internship at Micron. "I'm really looking forward to it. I'm passionate about learning and I love to challenge myself."