The notion, “It’s never too late to pursue your dream,” was the driving force for Vaughn graduate Ehab Zaki ’21 to earn his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certificate at the age of 35. Now, at 37, he’s living his dream as an aircraft maintenance technician at American Airlines, with the goal of landing a management position in the future. Read on to learn how his ambition and dedication to his family brought him to where he is today.
Coming to America
Born in Cairo, Egypt, Zaki said his passion for aviation began at an early age. “Growing up in Egypt, I knew I wanted to work in the aviation field, but I didn’t foresee an opportunity to make it happen in my country,” he said. When he was 18-years-old, he enlisted in the Egyptian Army as part of Egypt’s military service, which is mandatory for men between the ages of 18 and 28. While completing his service, Zaki didn’t waste any time. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and graduated in 2004. One year later, while vacationing with friends on the north coast of Egypt, Zaki was introduced to Dina, who he went on to marry. In 2006, he and Dina moved to Lynbrook, New York, where—with a baby on the way—they began their new life.
Starting a business—or two
Zaki was fearless and determined to grow roots in New York to provide a great life for his family. Shortly after settling into their new home, their son Mohammad was born, which further inspired Zaki’s ambitions to become successful. “I took a job selling restaurant supplies and realized soon after that this was something I could do for myself,” he explained. Two years later, he and Dina welcomed their daughter Asia into the world. Determined to succeed, Zaki opened his own business—Kham Restaurant Supplies—which he still operates today.
With an abundance of drive and passion, Zaki fueled one of his other hobbies—a love for cooking. He opened a restaurant in Lynbrook, which he owned and operated up until last month. “Cooking is one of my hobbies that I can pour my creativity into,” he said. “Owning a restaurant was the perfect complement to my love for cooking. Plus, I do all the cooking at home, so it’s a win-win all around.”
Finding his way to Vaughn’s Aviation Training Institute (ATI)
As a successful business owner and family man, Zaki knew the time was right to put his plan for an aviation career into action. In 2020, he enrolled in Vaughn’s ATI program where he earned his A&P certificate and graduated summa cum laude. “Waiting to pursue my career in aviation was the right move for me,” Zaki said proudly. “It was important to me that I was established, and my family was secure before I moved on to pursue my passion.” Balancing work and college kept him busy, as he operated his business during the day and attended college at night and on the weekends. “I’m an ‘all in’ kind of guy,” he said. “Either you do it, or you don’t.”
Why Vaughn’s aviation maintenance program is top-notch
Zaki said his time at Vaughn was instrumental in helping him get to where he is today. “Vaughn gives you all the fundamentals you need to succeed,” he explained. “The professors and instructors are at the top of their games. They take you through the program from A through Z. I had a great relationship with them.”
Here are a few of the reasons why Zaki chose Vaughn to pursue his aviation maintenance degree:
Vaughn’s credibility, history and reputation as a leading aviation institution
The program is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Professors and instructors have real-world experience
Classes are small, which means students get a lot of personal attention
The 16-month program enables students to enter the workforce quickly
Landing his dream job as an aircraft mechanic
In December 2021, Zaki received his A&P license and immediately applied for positions at Endeavor Air as well as at American Airlines, where he really had his sights set. Eager to get to work, he accepted a position at Endeavor Air, where he only trained for about four weeks. “While I was training in Minneapolis with Endeavor Air, I heard back from American Airlines about the open position,” he explained. “I interviewed with American Airlines and was offered the job on the spot!” Zaki was thrilled to begin his dream job. “It was my goal from the start to land a position at American Airlines,” he said emphatically. “The company displays a great culture of diversity. I’m looking forward to building seniority with the airline and move to a management level position. My current job as an aircraft mechanic is just the beginning.”
A day in the life of an aircraft mechanic
Zaki loves his job at American Airlines and believes that starting his career later in life was a great decision. “Every day is totally different which I love,” he explained. “We work on planes from the nose to the tail. Every time a plane lands, it needs to be serviced. It’s an exciting job with a new set of challenges to solve every day.” But above all, Zaki said landing this job offers benefits which money can’t buy. “As a father and husband, working as an aircraft mechanic has its perks,” he explained. “The flexible and rotating schedules make balancing family time so much easier—and I still get to cook for my family, too!” he said laughing.
When asked what advice he would give to anyone thinking about starting a career later in life, Zaki said, “It’s important to keep learning. Don’t let your age stand in your way of pursuing your dreams. Everything happens at the right time. You’ll know when that time is. You just have to be open to it.”
Now is the time to join the field
In response to the travel rebound and workforce cuts that happened during the pandemic, airlines are scrambling to staff their fleets back up – nearly all jobs are in high-demand including mechanics, pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents. Now is a great time to get into the aviation industry. In a short period of time—just 16 months—you could earn your A&P certificate and begin working in this futureproof—and in-demand—field where salaries are at an all-time high. And were you also aware that Vaughn College is one of just a handful of FAA-approved aviation programs in the state of New York? Get your certification from an institution that holds an excellent reputation in the industry for 90 years and counting which started with aviation maintenance.
Are you interested in joining the exciting field of aviation maintenance? We invite you to learn more about it at our next Aviation Maintenance Information Session on July 14 at 6 p.m. Mark your calendar and check our homepage for a link to register soon! You can attend on-campus—or, if you choose—we will be streaming it live for you to view from home or on-the-go. We hope to see you there!
The excitement is building at Vaughn as the College’s robotics team gears up for the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship after having won several awards at qualifying matches held earlier this year. The 15-member team is hard at work with hopes to regain the World Championship title from their 2016 win. With only weeks to go, it’s sure to be a fun and action-packed competition which is being held from May 3-12 in Dallas, Texas.
Challenge accepted
This year, the name of the game is VEX Robotics Competition Tipping Point—an exciting challenge based on the elements of football. The game will be played on a 12′ x 12′ square field. Two alliances (one “red” and one “blue”)— each composed of two teams—will compete in matches consisting of a 15-second (0:15) “Autonomous Period,” followed by a one-minute-and-forty-five second (1:45) “Driver Controlled Period.” The object of the game is to score rings, moving mobile goals to alliance zones and by elevating them on platforms at the end of a match. The team to score the highest number of points is declared the winner.
Building the robot
Driving the excitement is team president and mechatronic engineering major, Misael Marquez ’22. Entering his fourth year on the team—and first year as acting president of the club—Marquez explains how the team began building their robot last July. “The first design took one month to plan and one week to build,” he said. “We are now on our fifth design and built a twin to our robot as a backup.” He said the diverse talents of the team members—which range from mechanical engineering and mechatronic engineering majors to management—was the winning combination to delegate the tasks required to build the robot. “Everyone has a valuable role on our team,” Marquez said. “From those who are tasked with designing the robot to others who focus on the rebuild, we all work together as a team. It’s rewarding to watch the classroom come to life as we use our knowledge of mechanical theories, moments and statics, and apply to it to the robot’s design for the competition.”
Winning tournament awards
The team participated in three qualifying tournaments earlier this year, where they placed first in two of the three matches. At the first VEX U tournament, which was held at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worchester, MA at the end of January, the team won the Robot Skills Championship Award and the Excellence Award. At the second tournament, the team placed first; and at the third tournament, they won a second Robot Skills Championship Award and Excellence Award.
Planning for competition
When it comes to gaining field advantage, Marquez said it’s all about strategy and design. He explained that a major advantage of competing in the qualifying matches is having the opportunity to see the opponent’s robots and how they react. This insight, he said, helps the team build accordingly. “Robots get a little beat up during the qualifying rounds,” he explained. “Seeing our competition gives us an inside edge to upgrading our robot to make it more competitive—faster and more efficient.”
Silver lining to the pandemic
Although it’s no surprise that the pandemic was a challenging time for students, Marquez said his team used that time to hone their skills. “We all worked remotely but that didn’t stop us from improving our designs.” This year, he said the team is able to work together without any restrictions, which makes the process more exciting. “COVID empowered the team to prepare for this year’s competition,” Marquez said proudly. “We are excited to be competing against larger colleges and even more excited to go for the win. Everyone at the competition is friendly, but when it comes to the team to beat—all bets are off on the field!”
Winning spirit
Marquez shares his leadership with Christopher Walker ’24, vice president of the robotics team. Walker, who is studying mechatronic engineering, said the team’s spirit is soaring. “This is an exciting time for our team,” Walker said. “We are confident in our abilities. We believe in our robots, and we believe in ourselves. Our amazing teamwork work has us ready for the win!”
Leaving his legacy
With graduation quickly approaching, Marquez reflects on his years at Vaughn as well as his time spent on the robotics team. “I’ve always had a passion for robots,” he expressed. “So, choosing Vaughn to study mechatronic engineering was an easy choice for me.” Marquez plans to work in robotics after graduation with the hope to someday build robots to be used on the International Space Station. “Vaughn has been instrumental is giving me the foundation I need to pursue my dreams in robotics,” said Marquez. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the robotics team this year as president.” When asked about leaving a legacy at Vaughn, Marquez replied: “I hoped my time and dedication to the team would be my legacy but winning the championship and regaining the title would be the ultimate way to leave my mark at Vaughn. We are dedicated to the competition and are preparing for the win!”
Are you interested in building robotics or simply figuring out how things work? Consider coming to Vaughn to earn a valuable degree in engineering and technology at Vaughn. See what the VCAT robotics team is up to by following them on Twitch, Instagram and Facebook. Stay tuned for recap of the results from the VEX Robotics World Championship at the end of May.
’Tis the season—for final exams, projects and papers, that is. Just think—in a few short weeks, the semester will end and you’ll be ready to enjoy your holiday break with friends and family. Until then, it’s time for one last round of studying or putting the finishing touches on your project.
We’ve come up with the best ways to study for final exams, work on projects or write papers that will keep you calm, focused and ready to conquer. So, sit back, relax and take it all in. Oh, and no note taking is required.
Set a study schedule
The chances of you having more than one final exam this semester is pretty high, so the first thing you should do is check the due dates of each exam or project and plan a schedule around them. If you are working on a group project, plan dates and times that people can get together to work on it and include those in your overall study schedule. Set boundaries and limits for the amount of time you can study for each class – this brings us to our next tip!
Prioritize the material
Part of the game plan is to prioritize what material for each class may require more time to focus on. For exams, the best way to approach this is to break everything down into three categories:
Material that will definitely be on the exam.
Material that will probably be on the exam.
And (the dreaded) material that “might be” on the exam.
If you have a good handle on one portion of the material, then you know you’ll need to spend more time on the other sections.
Make your own study guide
It’s great if your professor has put together a study guide for you but you may also benefit from making your own. Recreating the material in your own words not only reinforces your knowledge of the material, but it’s as if you are teaching yourself the material in your own way that makes sense to you.
Organize or join a study group
Ever hear the expression, “Two heads are better than one”? People have been “brainstorming” for centuries, although the term is new to the modern world. When it comes to studying, not everyone has the same style. The beauty of a study session is the combining of different study styles and the bouncing of ideas and material off one another. You’ll be surprised at how just listening to the way someone else explains certain material may help your own understanding of the subject. Additionally, being in the same study boat with your friends can help relieve the pre-exam jitters.
Take practice tests
They say, “practice makes perfect.” Unfortunately, we can’t go so far as to say that taking practice tests will earn you a perfect grade on the final. What we can say, however, is that studies have shown that taking practice tests improves performance on exams. Since the chances of seeing a version of the final exam is slim, experts suggest using flash cards to quiz yourself and your friends on the material. This study tip is an important step in keeping your mind sharp, focused and ready for exam day.
Take five
Did you know that taking a five-minute break every hour does your brain good? It’s true. One of the keys to successful studying is to take a “brain break.” Use that time to stretch, take a quick walk or grab a bottle of water and a healthy snack. Did someone mention food? That brings us to our next tip.
Eat healthy and get enough sleep
You’ve heard it a thousand times: It’s important to eat healthy and get enough sleep, when in fact the reality for most college students is dining on pizza, chugging energy drinks and burning the midnight oil. It’s hard to turn down a pizza, but instead of overloading on heavy food that can make you sluggish and lose your focus, experts suggest stocking up on water, nuts, yogurt and other healthy foods. And, if you must indulge in sweets, try to limit the sugar as much as possible – this will avoid a sugar crash!
Take a deep breath and know you’ve got this. Staying positive and visualizing yourself doing well on the exam can also help! And remember—your mental health and wellbeing are what truly matter.
The engineering and technology department at Vaughn College hosted its Seventh Annual Manufacturing Day Conference which took place virtually on October 29, 2021. Participants—which included the Vaughn community, students, and industry advisory members—were enlightened by a diverse group of six industry leaders who discussed the latest innovations in the fields of biomedical manufacturing, aerospace virtual reality and manufacturing, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, and 3D scanning and precision measurement tools.
About the conference
In celebration of National Manufacturing Day, the conference focused on the advancements in the engineering and technology industries and showcased the opportunities for manufacturers to highlight their work while raising awareness about the advantages of pursuing a career in manufacturing.
The presenters
As part of Vaughn’s ongoing commitment to the futureproof education of its students, we were honored to host this year’s presenters, who discussed how the latest cutting-edge technologies are proving to be solutions to some of today’s modern-day challenges. Here is a quick recap of what the six presenters discussed:
Diogo Roquette Osorio: Director of Engineering at East Coast Orthotic and Prosthetic Corporation
Osorio, the Director of Engineering at East Coast Orthotic and Prosthetic Corp., discussed the challenges of producing surgical masks during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the demand and short supply of masks, Osorio explained how he and his team established a local automated production line that quickly and efficiently produced masks while maintaining ISO standards and compliance. Their ingenuity and rapid response enabled them to produce masks two years ahead of competitors.
Jefferson Maldonado ‘16: Senior Robotics Engineer at ArcBest Technologies
As a Vaughn graduate and former robotics club president, Maldonado is a perfect example of how hard work and an engineering degree from Vaughn—is a winning combination to a futureproof career. As senior robotics engineer at ArcBest Technologies, Maldonado’s presentation focused on autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), along with a variety of robot deployment regimes that relate to manufacturing and logistics. He discussed the progress of emerging technologies such as AMRs and their advantages in comparison to automatic guided vehicles (AGVs). Additionally, he addressed concerns such as path planning, cybersecurity and efficient deployment. Maldonado closed his presentation with the exciting announcement that ArcBest is hiring new engineers for career opportunities in robotics development.
Christian Gerbick and Dan McConnell: Territory Managers at EMS3D (Engineering and Manufacturing Services)
Industry experts Gerbick and McConnell from EMS3D presented information about metrology-grade advanced 3D scanners. They gave an informative overview of scanning technology, followed by an impressive demonstration that featured several high-profile 3D scanning case studies in the military and consumer aerospace fields. The scanners featured had the power to scan a variety of objects that ranged from small tabletop items to full-scale aircraft interiors and exteriors at high resolution.
Dr. George Kyriakou: Cofounder and Chief Operating Officer at BotFactory
BotFactory produces circuit board 3D printers. Dr. Kyriako spoke about his extensive work in the development of amplitude modulation (AM) for electronics and explained how this new aspect of the 3D printing landscape is changing the way printed circuit board (PCB) and electronics design is conducted. The use of his 3D PCB printing technology allows fully functional prototypes to be developed in rapid sequence, in contrast to traditional PCB related electronics development—which can take weeks to design and iterate.
Michael Nager: Co-founder of The Solution Center at Festo Didactic
Nager delivered an intriguing presentation about cybersecurity and artificial intelligence in the field of manufacturing engineering. As an industry 4.0 expert, he led the discussion, and identified career opportunities in 4.0 manufacturing, which include collaborative robotics experts and lead engineers who deliver solutions in modern manufacturing by leveraging robotics and management experience. In terms of cybersecurity, Nager explained how programmable logic controller (PLC) devices and interconnected network devices were seen as a venerable attach surface in the industry’s 4.0 manufacturing infrastructure. He showed how network security tactics—such as a demilitarized zone (DMZ), subnetting and proper sub-segmenting of networks—are viable methods to protect factory PLCs from attack. An important takeaway was his explanation of how the maintenance of secure manufacturing networks has grown beyond “on-the-job training” that now requires a focused educational program to deliver results. Nager’s company, Festo Didactic, has developed a comprehensive curriculum and courseware training product to properly prepare engineers in cybersecurity.
Olesya Kopteva: Training and 3D Scanning Team Leader, Artec 3D
Kopteva continued on the topic of 3D scanning with her presentation on Artec 3D scanner hardware, which included the new Space Spider and Eva range of scanners. She presented post-processing of 3D scans using Scan Studio 16. The results revealed this as an asset in post-processing 3D scans for consumer, medical, reverse engineering and entertainment computer graphic industries. Artec scanners feature high-quality, best-in-class 3D scanning technology—and comparative low pricing—for the education and engineering markets. Since 2015, Vaughn faculty and staff have utilized Artec scanners for work in club activities, technology presentations, degree projects, outreach activities and course offerings.
Q&A with Dr. Hossein Rahemi, Chair of Engineering and Technology Department at Vaughn
We sat down with Dr. Hossein Rahemi, department chair of Vaughn’s engineering and technology department, for his insight into the future of manufacturing and how these latest advancements are leading to excellent job opportunities for Vaughn engineering students.
Q: Virtual reality and artificial intelligence are playing big roles in today’s manufacturing industries. In your opinion, what does the future look like?
A: Today, we are learning through data collection, programming, AI, and virtual reality that functionality, safety, and productivity can be facilitated and further enhanced. As a matter of fact, the AI contributed to the advancement of manufacturing process through automation and autonomous mobile robots. Virtual reality in manufacturing is used for training environments, product development, visualization, and product configuration simulators. This sort of visualization speeds up safety and the product development process through robust interactive experience that facilitates rapid decision making and approvals.
Q: What are the best engineering degrees offered by Vaughn to prepare for today’s most in-demand jobs?
A: All of our engineering degrees meet the specific needs of today’s industry employers. For manufacturing and automation, specifically, our mechatronic engineering and mechanical engineering degrees, along with additive manufacturing—or 3D printing—are proving to be excellent degrees to pursue. Our students are receiving job offers prior to graduation from prestigious companies such as Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, Volvo and others.
Q:This year, high school students also attended the conference. Were there any specific topics that resonated with them?
A: Yes! The high school students loved the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and robots. It’s not only cool to see and learn about, but it resonates with an appreciation for the engineering field and development process. The students love the challenge. It’s a hands-on field where they can compete against each other and see their efforts put into action.
Do you have a passion for engineering? Discover how an engineering degree from Vaughn College will set you on a futureproof path to some of today’s most sought-after careers. Apply today.
If you study to music, then you’re already “in tune” with the amazing effects it may have for helping put your brain in optimum study mode. But did you know that certain genres of music could set the tone for even greater concentration, focus and well-being?
As we kick off a new semester, we’d like to introduce the latest music craze to add to your study playlist. It’s called “lo-fi,” and it’s getting high marks from students across the globe for its positive effects on helping them bring their A-game when it comes to reducing stress, increasing focus and keeping them relaxed while studying. Haven’t heard of lo-fi music? Grab your earbuds as we tell you all about it.
What is lo-fi music?
Low-fidelity music, or lo-fi, is music that is recorded with intentional imperfections, such as misplayed notes, environmental noise, low hum, or phonographic audio imperfections. Unlike hi-fidelity, or hi-fi, which is the high-quality reproduction of sound, the imperfect elements of lo-fi music are a popular choice when it comes to the positive results when studying is concerned. So, why would imperfect sound be one of the perfect genres to study to? Sit back and take a listen as you hear why. Lo-fi music helps the front lobe in our brain to focus – those flaws or low hums can also put the brain in the mindset to focus.
Why lo-fi is a popular playlist choice
Music speaks a universal language, so it comes as no surprise that students from all walks of life enjoy the wonder of music while studying. Some of the reasons as to why lo-fi is so popular are:
Relaxing effect and perfect tempo to keep listeners engaged without making them sleepy
As there are no lyrics, there are no distractions, which leads to better reading comprehension and writing
Listeners keep lo-fi on an endless loop, keeping music predictable and not a distraction while studying
And, if those aren’t good enough reasons to give lo-fi a try, here are some other reasons on how music can help you focus when you need it most:
Mood booster—Music can lift your spirits, even after a long, hard day. Playing your favorite tunes can be all you need to turn your frown upside down.
Positive attitude—The right kind of music can make you happy and help kick-start a study session. It’s been said that happy people tend to be more productive. In fact, people who listen to music may be happier than those who don’t.
Drowns out distracting noises—Does the sound of background noise make you irritable? Listening to music is a great way to drown out annoying background noises and help you focus on the task at hand. If possible, consider in investing in a quality set of headphones or earbuds for optimum sound quality and noise cancellation.
An “alternative” decision
Lo-fi music is considered an “alternative” genre of music—and for good reason. It’s not only easy to listen to, but it’s also easy to produce since there are no lyrics. Ever thought of becoming a songwriter? Try producing some music on your phone or laptop.
One of the most popular app services is FL Studio. Or, Apple and Android users can try those respective sites to create their own lo-fi playlists.
Creating a playlist
It may sound obvious, but research revealed that brain function decreases when you listen to music and sounds you don’t enjoy, making it difficult to focus and concentrate. So, be sure to choose music and sounds that make you happy. Here are some tips for creating your playlist:
Create your playlist in advance, so you won’t be fumbling to find a new song every few minutes.
Keep your playlist to around 40-50 minutes. This is a great reminder to take a study break when it’s over. Plus, it helps you plan your study sessions to meet your concentration level.
Avoid listening to the radio. Dialogue between radio personalities and commercials can be distracting.
Turn it down. Listening to music at a moderate level is best.
Don’t forget the classics—Mozart, anyone?
If you haven’t already done so, check out our popular 2018 blog, “Studying to Music Can Put Your Brain in the Right Frame of Mind,” where Vaughn College explores the mind-boosting effects of studying to classic music. (Have you heard of the Mozart Effect?) Additionally, this blog explains how the calming sounds of nature can help to increase concentration.
With the new semester kicking off, this is the best time to add lo-fi music to your playlist so it’s ready to go when you need it. Happy listening!
The future of underserved, low-income and first-generation college students is hopeful, thanks to college mentoring programs like College Possible’s Catalyze, which helps augment existing on-campus college success programming. For the past two years, Catalyze coaches have been instrumental in guiding eligible Vaughn College students to graduation day by empowering them to achieve their goals.
We spoke with Lauren Cajade, assistant director, Higher Education Opportunity Program, at Vaughn for her insights on the success of the College’s partnership with Catalyze, and the excitement surrounding the hiring of three new near-peer coaches—one of whom is a recent Vaughn graduate—to kick off the 2021-2022 school year.
Vaughn’s Catalyze partnership
Entering its third year, Vaughn’s partnership with the Catalyze program has continued to offer eligible first year students the opportunity to work with near-peer coaches. Coaches receive comprehensive training and curriculum support from Catalyze to guide them in providing pro-active, high-touch student interventions that help students overcome some of the most common barriers to persistence and graduation. “Working with our coaches gives our students an extra set of hands to get through college,” said Cajade. She explained how students receive support from both academic and student affairs, which provides a well-rounded experience to give students a sense of community on campus. “From getting help with registration and scheduling, to learning about financial aid and filling out the FAFSA, our coaches guide students every step of the way—right up until graduation day.”
Who is eligible?
Vaughn will reach out to eligible students who qualify for the program. Eligible students are not required to participate; however, those who do will be assigned to a near-peer coach. Students must meet the following specific criteria to qualify for the Catalyze program:
Low-income
Pell Grant-eligible
First-generation college student
How Catalyze coaches support eligible Vaughn students
Near-peer coaches are often recent graduates who may have similar backgrounds as the ones they support. Each coach has committed to a year of service as an AmeriCorps member and receives a living stipend as well as a modest education award for their service. A key factor in becoming a coach is they must demonstrate a passion for helping the next generation of graduates. Cajade explained how they undergo in-depth training, learning about the rules and regulations of College Possible, and Title IX training for Vaughn. “In addition to their regular training, we believe it’s important for our coaches to become familiar with the names of our department heads and the roles they serve,” said Cajade. “This is an important part of how the mentors can effectively direct our students to the proper person when they need help.”
Here are some ways near-peer coaches support their students:
Connecting to existing campus and community resources
Social-emotional skill development
Course registration
Finding scholarships and completing financial aid applications
Coaches use the program’s proven, evidence-based model and proprietary curriculum to guide students through their college experience. Here are the core areas they focus on:
Academic success
Personal development
Financial management
How College Possible makes it possible for students to succeed
College Possible is a national leader in college access and success programming that is dedicated to coaching students from low-income backgrounds to-and-through college. For more than 20 years, the nonprofit organization has refined their near-peer coaching model to achieve the best outcome for its students. Beginning junior year of high school and continuing right up until college graduation, near-peer coaches advise and mentor eligible students with the goal of helping them reach their fullest potential. This rigorously tested model has helped make College Possible students three times more likely to complete a four-year college degree and 98 percent of students in the program are admitted to college.
With the new semester approaching, Cajade expressed her excitement over the hiring of the three newest coaches: Jared Martino, Jessica Levine and recent Vaughn graduate, Jenelle Samuel ’21. Each coach will support approximately 140 students within their service year. “The past year has been difficult for everyone, but especially our students,” Cajade said. “We are excited to welcome our new near-peer coaches to the Vaughn family. Catalyze is a wonderful program, and College Possible a great partner. I’m proud to be a part of an institution that pulls out all the stops to give students all the tools they need to succeed.”
Want to learn more? Check out our blog article which explains how opportunity programs, like HEOP, can help you achieve success in college and graduate with a futureproof career.
Inspiration comes from many places. For Tatiana Jaimes ’22, a mechatronic engineering major at Vaughn College, the blind children in her native country of Colombia were the driving force behind conceptualizing and designing BrailleBud, a teaching tool that encourages pre-k and first-grade children to read by learning the Braille alphabet.
Coming back to America
Although Jaimes was born in New York City, she moved to Colombia with her grandmother to attend elementary school and high school. She explained how the educational system in Colombia focuses strongly on the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum. “From a young age, I learned the fundamentals of physics and engineering,” Jaimes said. “I saw how the majority of blind children in my country live in poverty and can’t afford the schools for the blind, not to mention Braille reading materials. I knew this would be one of my callings in life—to develop a device that would give visually-impaired children a chance at literacy and going on to have a fruitful life.”
As high school graduation approached, she began searching for colleges to pursue her degree. Her mother, who lives in New York, discovered Vaughn College. After exploring the degree programs at Vaughn, Jaimes knew the College would be the perfect fit for her. “Although I am bilingual, Vaughn helped guide me through the application process,” she explained. “They eliminated any stress and made it easy to apply.” At 17 years old, Jaimes enrolled in the mechatronics engineering program and the rest—as they say—is history in the making.
Finding her place at Vaughn
Excited to begin her college career, Jaimes said she made the best use of her time and resources on campus. She made friends easily, and took the advice of upperclassmen to join clubs and get involved with collaborating on research papers. She befriended engineering and technology students Alina Santander Vinokurova ’23 and August Rodriguez ’22, who were looking to work on a community-based project. “It was an exciting experience meeting Alina and August,” Jaimes said. “We share the same passion and desire to find a way to solve present day problems by implementing solutions that are not always addressed—such as helping blind children to read.”
Vaughn’s support made it happen
By the summer of 2020, Jaimes and her team conceptualized how to make BrailleBud completely mechanical, and with the help and support of Miguel Bustamante, PhD, assistant professor of engineering and technology and Dr. Hossein Rahemi, chair of Vaughn College’s engineering and technology department, the process was smooth and productive. “Professor Bustamante was instrumental in the development of our first prototype,” said Jaimes. “He suggested we make it more interactive by using the tools of mechatronic engineering, such as adding actuators and audio.” By 2021, the team completed the prototype, with the help and support of Dr. Rahemi, who arranged to have all expenses for the project paid by the College.
The mechanics behind BrailleBud
While the concept of the BrailleBud is not an original idea, it should be noted that Jaimes, Santander Vinokurova and Rodriguez found a way to design a more interactive Braille literacy tool for young children by sharpening their auditory and tactile senses. They also designed BrailleBud to be lighter and more affordable for families of the visually impaired. The tool is designed to be used on three levels: “level one” for letters of the alphabet, “level two” for the learning of small words such as “cat” and “dog,” and “level three” for more complex words, which is currently in development. Their prototype is a tablet that uses three braille cells each with six dots to represent a different letter. Jaimes and her team designed the unit with a passive infrared sensor (PIR) that detects whether the child is hovering over the correct “letter.” It is equipped with audio capabilities that has an encouraging “voice” that praises the child, letting him or her know when an answer is correct.
Using mechatronic engineering to design the prototype
The team combined all three elements of mechatronic engineering—mechanical, electrical and computer—when designing the prototype. For the mechanical aspect, they used the College’s 3D printers to create the “home” of the tablet, which houses the control system and microprocessors. The electrical part of the system uses transistors, solenoids, speakers, and other electrical parts that are used to transmit energy and power the tablet. “Dr. Rahemi was extremely helpful acquiring the components we needed,” Jaimes said. Lastly, the computer engineering aspect uses Arduino’s integrated development environment (IDE), which is part of the coding to power and communicate all the components for each level.
A team effort
Leading the team, Jaimes said she is beyond proud of their accomplishments. “We work so great together,” Jaimes said. “We each bring our level of expertise to the table making this prototype the best it can be.” Jaimes’ responsibility was to build the circuit, Santander Vinokurova worked on the audio function and actuators, while Rodriguez built the “home” and conducted all of the CAD-related work. Together, the team collaborated on the project and contributed to the research paper, “BrailleBud: Transitional Learning Tool from Pre-Literacy to Braille Literacy.” Their paper was presented virtually at the 2021 Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI) Conference in July and qualified them as finalists at the conference. “We owe our gratitude to Dr. Rahemi for his efforts in having our paper presented at the LACCEI,” Jaimes said humbly. “His support and the support of the Vaughn community helped us get to this point.”
Her future with NASA
Growing up in Colombia instilled many desires in Jaimes. “I realized that opportunities and those ‘a-ha’ moments come when you least expect them,” Jaimes explained. “One day, while in high school, I watched a video of a NASA engineer working on the robotic arm for the Mars rover, Perseverance. It was then that I knew I wanted to pursue a career that was space-related.” As she continues to work on the BrailleBud at Vaughn, she looks forward to living her dream of working at NASA. Last March, she was chosen for the Pathways Internship at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where she worked over the summer. Her exemplary work ethic and leadership roles at Vaughn—combined with her mechatronic engineering focus earned Jaimes a job offer at NASA after graduation. She plans on pursuing a master’s degree in Control Systems and looks forward to working at the job that awaits her at NASA.
“I’m grateful to all of my professors at Vaughn who supported and inspired me to get to where I am today. I learned that engineering is all about teamwork. I look forward to being a part of many teams in the future, working toward the better good.”
Have you ever thought about becoming a pilot? There’s never been a better time—or place—to earn your wings. Vaughn College has an exclusive partnership with Heritage Flight Academy which gives Vaughn aircraft operations students a place to practice flying as they work to achieve their flight certificates and ratings in addition to earning their bachelor’s degree.
We had the privilege of speaking to Neil Visse, executive vice president of Heritage Flight Academy, to discuss how the College’s exclusive long-standing relationship with Heritage has been instrumental in paving the way for hundreds of Vaughn students each year to get their flight certificates and achieve their dreams of becoming pilots.
Why now is the best time to become a pilot
The ongoing pilot shortage is more prevalent than ever before. After the lockdowns due to the pandemic, travelers are taking to the skies sooner than expected, leaving airlines trailing behind the demand. “There’s never been a better time to become a pilot,” said Visse. “The aviation industry went through a dry spell when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Between pilots taking early retirement and those who were furloughed during that time, the industry is seeing a pilot shortage even greater than before.”
Pathway to becoming a pilot
Becoming a pilot is an exciting venture. Students not only learn the academics of flight operations through programs like the aircraft operations degree at Vaughn, but they get to put that knowledge into action—at the controls and in the air—at flight schools such as Heritage Flight Academy. Since 2013, Heritage Flight Academy, located at MacArthur Airport on Long Island, has trained hundreds of Vaughn aircraft operations students as part of its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved Part 141 training operation. “We have seen substantial growth over the years,” Visse said. “We have invested not only in our state-of-the-art aircraft but increased our professional staff and operating space. Currently, we have between 100-120 Vaughn students enrolled in our program at any given time.”
The process to make it happen
Students enrolled in the four-year aircraft operations (flight) degree program at Vaughn can begin their training at Heritage in their freshmen year. Visse walked us through the process of how students can begin earning their certificates and ratings:
Freshman year—Achieving a private pilot license
Required flight time: 35 hours, which includes time with flight instructor and solo flight time.
Students will take their first private pilot course (two semesters) at Vaughn simultaneously with the flight-training course at Heritage. This allows students the benefit of demonstrating their academic knowledge as they apply it to their flight lessons. Students can expect to complete their private pilot license certificate by the end of their freshmen year.
Required flight time for instrument rating: 35 dual hours with instructor, including flight simulator time.
Instrument rating—During the first semester of sophomore year, students will work toward earning their instrument rating, which permits them to take off, fly and land using the instruments in their aircraft—under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). Students who pass their instrument rating tests will then earn a private pilot’s license with instrument rating.
Required flight time for commercial rating: 120 total hours (65 hours of dual flight time and 55 hours of solo flight time).
Commercial rating—During the second semester of sophomore year, students can work toward earning their commercial pilot rating. This rating requires the most hours and allows them to fly for hire. The flight-training program at Heritage includes ratings for both single and multi-engine aircraft at the commercial level.
During their junior year, students will work toward earning the next two licenses with the objective that during their senior year they build up flight time by serving as flight instructors, where they will teach skills to new students interested in earning their flight ratings. According to Visse, the goal is for students to complete all their flight training by the end of their junior year—including their flight instructor airplane and instrument ratings.
With all of these ratings under their belts, students can complete their degrees and be well positioned to enter the workforce. “Students will not have any problem finding a job as a pilot today,” Visse said.
There are certain things to keep in mind when considering whether or not to become a pilot, including the additional cost and time it takes to earn required certificates and ratings. Visse suggests that students speak with a financial aid counselor to discuss their opportunities for financial assistance as well attending a Vaughn open house or information session to talk to student pilots about their experiences. Students can also schedule a virtual meeting with an admissions counselor to discuss their questions and next steps.
The Vaughn/Heritage advantage
There’s no denying that becoming a pilot can be time intensive—not to mention expensive. Visse explains how Heritage shares Vaughn’s passion of seeing students succeed. That’s why this is the only flight school to offer ‘flexible scheduling’ which is a huge advantage for students with busy schedules. Heritage will work around work or class schedules so students can train whenever it’s convenient for them – schedules can change weekly. Additionally, Heritage offers a flat-rate program for Vaughn students when purchasing flight hours, which means after students pay for a certain number of hours, they earn free hours – this makes it much more affordable. “The resilience of our students throughout the pandemic has been amazing,” Visse said proudly. “We are proud to offer unique programs designed to not only help our students succeed but relieve some of their stress at the same time.”
A rewarding partnership
For the past 15 years, Visse has been an integral part of the aviation industry. While he has enjoyed flying as a pilot, over the years his path has “detoured” to the operational side of the business. “There’s never been a time that I didn’t think about flying,” he said. “My dad was a pilot. I guess you can say it’s in my blood.” Visse said Heritage has seen its fair share of changes over the years. “Thanks to our incredible partnership with Vaughn College, Heritage Flight Academy is now the largest operator at MacArthur Airport,” he said. “Watching our students move on with their careers is bittersweet, but we are proud knowing that we—along with Vaughn—were instrumental in making their dreams of becoming a pilot a reality.”
There’s excitement in the air for aviation students, as Vaughn College announced its partnership with JetBlue Airways as part of the airline’s ‘University Gateway’ Pilot Pathway Program. This is the airline’s longest-running pathway program that allows flight students who attend Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI)-accredited institutions—such as Vaughn—to apply and interview for positions at JetBlue while completing their collegiate courses. Once accepted, students will follow a defined path to gain experience and build their flight time before joining JetBlue as a first officer upon completion of the program.
Snapshot of program requirements
Founded in 2007, the University Gateway Program is an invaluable resource for any aviation student attending an AABI-accredited institution who is seeking a career as a pilot. You can apply to the program if you:
Graduate from an AABI-accredited institution with a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) in your major
Serve as a certified flight instructor for at least 500 hours
Vaughn embraces partnerships to further students’ futureproof careers
As one of the country’s premier aviation and engineering institutions, Vaughn provides students with the education and opportunity of today in order for them to engage in the careers of tomorrow. The University Gateway Program is just one more way Vaughn students have a competitive edge to gain futureproof careers in aviation. Vaughn also partners with Delta Air Lines to give its aviation maintenance students an enhanced, hands-on, real-world education, and works with Heritage Flight Academy so Vaughn’s aircraft operations (flight) students have direct access to the latest technology, equipment and skilled flight instructors. Need more reasons to fuel your passion? Read our blog, “Ten Reasons for Landing a Career in Aviation.”
“Vaughn has a long and accomplished history in educating students in all aspects of aviation including flight training,” said Domenic Proscia, vice president of training at Vaughn College. “The need for well-trained pilots to fill the looming shortage is crucial and working with an aviation leader like JetBlue to prepare candidates for successful careers is an incredible opportunity for Vaughn students.”
Do you have a dream of becoming a pilot? An aviation degree from Vaughn College can be your pathway to the skies.
As 2020 comes to an end, the future can bring hope and a fresh outlook for a positive year ahead. Making resolutions is one way to keep on track while balancing busy lifestyles. Did you that know making small changes in your daily routine can lead to big results that can last a lifetime?
Listed here are some new year’s resolutions to help build your personal growth and nurture your well-being, especially during these difficult times. After all, having a positive mindset is the key to starting each day with motivation and determination. Vaughn has kept students and faculty connected and engaged throughout the pandemic by offering weekly virtual events such as yoga, dance sessions, warrior bootcamp, movie and game nights, sports discussions and more.
Let’s begin by taking a deep breath. Now, open your mind as we walk you through some simple ways you can calm yourself, stay focused and have the best year yet.
Schedule “me time”
As distance learning continues, you already know how important it is to keep a schedule. Taking your education seriously is important, but perhaps even more important is taking some time for yourself. Scheduling “me time” is the best way to recharge and reboot your mind before hitting the books again. And remember: It’s not wasting time. It’s your special time to unwind. Here are some ideas to add to your own list of favorite ways to spend your “me time”:
Schedule a workout. Exercising boosts both your physical and mental energy levels. Take a quick walk or run outside, do a yoga or pilates video, or create your own workout routine.
Catch up on your favorite TV shows. Everyone needs that “brainless” hour away from their studies. This is just the kind of break you need when your brain needs a rest.
Listen to your favorite music. Music soothes the mind and calms the soul.
Take a power nap. A quick 20-minute snooze is enough to recharge your body and mind for the rest of the day.
Nurture your well-being
We all need some pampering once in a while. But did you ever think of ways to pamper your mind? Feeling calm and healthy begins with nurturing yourself from the inside-out. Here are some easy ways to stay in sync with your mind-body balance:
Read an excerpt every day from your favorite motivational book
Take a break from social media
Turn off the notifications on your phone
Carve out some quiet time for meditation or spiritual enrichment
Work on a puzzle
Start a new hobby, like yoga, knitting or cooking
Keep paper handy for drawing, coloring or doodling
Write in a daily journal to get your thoughts down on paper
Develop healthy eating habits
What you put “in” your body can make all the difference in how your body and mind perform throughout the day. Meal-prepping is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Having healthy snacks and meals that are prepared ahead of time makes eating healthy a piece of cake. (Yes, you can have your cake and eat it, too—in moderation.) Try preparing large meals on Sundays and Wednesdays. This is a great way to keep healthy grab-and-go snacks available and your meals prepared on busy nights.
Stay connected via Zoom or other platforms
Keeping in touch with family and friends is an important part of personal growth. As the nation continues to practice social distancing, using platforms such as Zoom allows visiting “face-to-face” when meeting in person is not possible. Plan on setting aside a day and time when all members can join the call. Keeping connected with those close to you is one resolution that you’ll want to keep for years to come.
Have you made any new year’s resolutions for 2021? Hopefully these tips have been helpful in planning your year ahead. Vaughn College is excited to welcome back its students to the 2021 spring semester. Don’t forget to check out all the virtual health, fitness and counseling events Vaughn has to offer.
Driving the excitement is team president and mechatronic engineering major, Misael Marquez ’22. Entering his fourth year on the team—and first year as acting president of the club—Marquez explains how the team began building their robot last July. “The first design took one month to plan and one week to build,” he said. “We are now on our fifth design and built a twin to our robot as a backup.” He said the diverse talents of the team members—which range from 
Although it’s no surprise that the pandemic was a challenging time for students, Marquez said his team used that time to hone their skills. “We all worked remotely but that didn’t stop us from improving our designs.” This year, he said the team is able to work together without any restrictions, which makes the process more exciting. “COVID empowered the team to prepare for this year’s competition,” Marquez said proudly. “We are excited to be competing against larger colleges and even more excited to go for the win. Everyone at the competition is friendly, but when it comes to the team to beat—all bets are off on the field!”
Leading the team, Jaimes said she is beyond proud of their accomplishments. “We work so great together,” Jaimes said. “We each bring our level of expertise to the table making this prototype the best it can be.” Jaimes’ responsibility was to build the circuit, Santander Vinokurova worked on the audio function and actuators, while Rodriguez built the “home” and conducted all of the CAD-related work. Together, the team collaborated on the project and contributed to the research paper, “BrailleBud: Transitional Learning Tool from Pre-Literacy to Braille Literacy.” Their paper was presented virtually at the 
Growing up in Colombia instilled many desires in Jaimes. “I realized that opportunities and those ‘a-ha’ moments come when you least expect them,” Jaimes explained. “One day, while in high school, I watched a video of a NASA engineer working on the robotic arm for the Mars rover, Perseverance. It was then that I knew I wanted to pursue a career that was space-related.” As she continues to work on the BrailleBud at Vaughn, she looks forward to living her dream of working at NASA. Last March, she was chosen for the 
Becoming a pilot is an exciting venture. Students not only learn the academics of flight operations through programs like the 
Required flight time:
For the past 15 years, Visse has been an integral part of the aviation industry. While he has enjoyed flying as a pilot, over the years his path has “detoured” to the operational side of the business. “There’s never been a time that I didn’t think about flying,” he said. “My dad was a pilot. I guess you can say it’s in my blood.” Visse said Heritage has seen its fair share of changes over the years. “Thanks to our incredible partnership with Vaughn College, Heritage Flight Academy is now the largest operator at MacArthur Airport,” he said. “Watching our students move on with their careers is bittersweet, but we are proud knowing that we—along with Vaughn—were instrumental in making their dreams of becoming a pilot a reality.”
