Nathan Hom, a junior Management and Engineering for Manufacturing (MEM) major, has made sure to leave his mark on the UConn community during his undergraduate career. Hom entered UConn in the undecided (ACES) track, bouncing around the ideas of being a medical doctor, pharmacist, or an engineer. It wasn’t until after he attended open houses and sought out advice from upperclassmen that the thought of engineering, specifically MEM, crossed his mind. “Having a degree from both the School of Business and the School of Engineering allows you to leverage the knowledge between both and get a job in either field.” His dual degree will give him the power to choose whether he wants to take the business route or the engineering route once he starts looking at jobs in the near future, opening doors to two vastly different worlds of opportunities.
The MEM major is just one of the many opportunities that Hom has decided to take advantage of since attending UConn. “UConn is great when it comes to networking, funding, and involvement,” said Hom as he recounted his experience with his extracurricular activities. He has actively been involved in the Cyber Security Club, MEM Society, and the 3D printing club since his freshman year. The Cyber Security Club aims to teach members about the protection of computer systems, such as how passwords are cracked and how to have a secure password. Sometimes the club hosts “hacking” competitions where members test their skills from what they’ve learned in their weekly meetings, which directly relates to Hom’s studies through MEM. MEM Society is mostly a networking group that brings in speakers and recruiters to give insight and advice towards career opportunities in the future. On top of these three clubs, Hom is also a research assistant for the Mechanical Engineering Department and helps “fabricate a biodegradable and compatible sensor that can be implanted in living things for medical purposes.” It was the MEM Society and the 3D printing club, which gives students resources, information, and access to 3D printers, that helped Nathan land his current position as a 3D Printing Specialist in the Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department. As the 3D Printing Specialist he teaches students to use the printer, helps students print during walk in appointments, and tech kits. This job has helped him gain valuable experience in the field and will help him get jobs in the future.
Eager to see what his future holds, Hom is focusing on further developing his engineering and business skills to one day become a C-Suite Executive of a company.