High school students and prospective Trojans explored the world of engineering firsthand last Friday during Troy University’s fall Engineering Day on the Troy Campus.
The event brought together students from across the region for an inside look at TROY’s engineering program, featuring interactive demonstrations in electronics, optics and materials science. Participants also toured the University’s state-of-the-art facilities at the Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences and met with current students and faculty members.
Dr. Raj Vinnakota, Assistant Professor and Interim Director of the Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences, said the event continues to grow as a key outreach and recruitment opportunity.
“Many students expressed strong interest in our program and had the opportunity to interact with our current students, which made a great impression,” he said. “We’re hopeful that some of these students will choose to join our program in the near future.”
Among those inspired by the visit was Wesley Fallon, a senior at Marbury High School in Marbury, Alabama.
“They’ve showed us some really cool stuff, like how they can shrink things down and check frequency waves,” Fallon said. “It also pays well for a future job, and I’m interested in electricity and high-voltage things. It’s a good campus—I like the atmosphere that TROY has.”
Another attendee, Daniel Witherell of Pensacola, Florida, is already preparing to join the program. Currently attending flight school at Fort Rucker, Witherell was admitted to TROY last month and plans to begin his studies in electrical engineering this spring.
Vinnakota said Engineering Day has become one of the program’s signature experiences.
“Engineering Day is one of our key outreach and recruitment events. We have been hosting it every spring for the past two years, and beginning this year, it will be held twice annually—once in the fall and once in the spring,” he said.
The Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (BSEEE), provides a cutting-edge curriculum that integrates theory, hands-on learning and industry-driven innovation.
Approved by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education on March 14, the program is designed to equip students with the skills and expertise needed to excel in electronics, semiconductors, automation, telecommunications, optoelectronics and emerging electronic technologies.
With a future-focused curriculum and the goal of producing industry-ready graduates, the program boasts small class sizes and personalized learning, advanced specializations, innovative technologies and hands-on learning opportunities at each stage.
Based on data from the Alabama Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information Division, electrical engineers are projected to have an average of 225 annual job openings and offer a median annual salary of $103,652. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Engineering Occupations (National Employment Matrix Code 17-2000) are predicted to experience a 5.1 percent rise between 2021-2031.
Key sectors and career paths include the semiconductor industry; robotics and automation; telecommunications and wireless technology; power and renewable energy; embedded systems; photonics and optoelectronics; and aerospace and defense.
